Graduating Senior’s thoughts, Team 399
This following was written by one of our Graduating seniors. I found it on her Facebook Page. Being a mentor on the team, it really touched me and showed how important our FIRST community is to the students. It may not effect you as it did me, but I thought I would share it anyway.
I hope she will not get angry with me sharing it with the rest of the community.
David
Only 7 Months 12 days till KO!
============Written by Katrina===================
Courage. Brains. Heart.
I remember the day I decided to join Robotics. I had heard Brad talk so fondly of it for years, and I was so incredibly curious about it. Then when Barker joined and HE couldn’t shut up about it, I knew this was something I needed to try. On a whim I got an application. And spent the entire summer break panicking about the interview I would have when school started again. I was so scared they wouldn’t want me to be a part of the team. The day of the interview I was so nervous I didn’t think Id be able to talk. But somehow I made it through.
From the very beginning I was in love.
I loved reaching out to the community with things like Lego League and Super Science Saturday. Thinking of it now, I think SSS was the day I realized JUST how much I loved Robotics. There was no turning back.
Robotics became so much more than just an after school club for me.
Those people became my family. That shop became my home.
During the six week period the members of 399 went from being my team mates to my family. There was the mother figure, always making sure we were eating right [EVA], the little brother always willing to throw in a joke [JOHN], and the big sister always willing to do her part [EMMA]. I ended up loving these people more than I thought possible. I ended up loving FIRST more than I ever thought possible. And I ended up loving that robot, The Tin Man, with every fiber of my being. I was proud of what I had helped build. And that pride made up for all the nights I sacrificed to be in the shop.
I never once felt like I HAD to be there. I never got upset that I was spending my weekends in the shop rather than hanging out with friends. If I had to choose what I would rather do, in any scenario, Robotics always won. And I felt good about myself for once. Instead of spending my senior year sitting around being lazy I was out doing something SO much more rewarding.
Competitions were the best though. That was when you got to SEE what you had spent so many days and nights slaving over. That’s when it all became REAL. And watching that robot compete, and go so much farther than you could have possibly hoped…It’s truly stunning. In Long Beach I was amazed at how far we went. We were one of the best robot there. My first taste of competition was nothing short of addicting.
And then Denver happened. I was sick the entire time we were there. My throat was so sore I couldn’t talk [let alone scream]. My head was throbbing and I was sensitive to light. My ears hadn’t popped from the flight so I couldn’t hear out of one ear. And one morning I woke up and my eye was swollen shut. I was miserable. Not because I was sick, but because I couldn’t even cheer for my team. Then that last day came. NOTHING was going to stop me from cheering on my team. And nothing did. I remember standing in the “mosh pit,” fingers crossed, waiting for the announcer to declare who had won the last match. A few seconds lasted a few hours in my mind. Everything was still. I could hear my heartbeat ringing in my ears. And then it happened.
We had won.
Every emotion in my body came rushing out in an ear shattering scream. Everyone was knocking into everyone else with body-slamming hugs. Tears ran down everyone faces. And you could FEEL the pride welling up and filling the arena.
I have never been more proud of anything in my life.
When our team went to Atlanta only a few could go. So what did I do? Go out with friends and enjoy being home? No. I sat in my living room, on my laptop, watching the Championship coverage on NASA TV and following Mr. Voracek’s Twitter. Even tho we did not win there, in our own minds we had already won. We had gotten this far, and THAT was the real win.
This team changes you. I know it changed me.
Robotics becomes a part of you. It flows thru my veins and fills my heart with the strongest sense of pride and happiness.
It’s amazing how ONE year can completely change your life.
My only regret is that I didn’t join sooner.
But I know I will always be a part of Robotics. I will be there for Kickoff. And I will be at the regional’s. Life can’t keep me away.
And when I’m older, and I’m a teacher, my school will either have a Robotics program or I will make sure one is started.
Some things don’t end so easily.
Especially when it’s something you’ve fallen in love with…
Robotics helped me find my own courage. My own brains. And my own heart.
The courage to try something new.
The brains to stick with it when things got hard.
And as for heart…Robotics gave me my heart.
Things About Robotics I Will Never Forget:
-Fitting 24 people into a jacuzzi
-Taking over booths at the Poppy Festival, seeing how much free stuff we could get
-The first girls sleepover at Emma’s [can anyone say popcorn and cell phones?]
-Barker carrying Austin on his shoulders at the Relay For Life
-The Relay For Life rope, and trip to the musical road at 4am
-Emma stealing toilet paper
-Eva at sleepovers. Enough said.
-KENDEL! The kid from Super Science Saturday!
-Brad trying to drive The Phantom into the girls restroom.
-Walking up and down Lancaster Blvd. selling chocolate with Eva and Theresa
-Caitlin: Whats the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Robotics? Me: Orange
-Running around school at 10pm trying to scare each other
-Me hitting a car cuz I was in a rush to get back to robotics
-Sugar quesidillas
-Sammy always ending up with the supercell over his head
-Spray painting shoes with the robots paint
-Doing the Chicken Dance with little kids at Lego League
-Dancing in the rain, thus catching a cold
-Eva’s diets
-Jimbo Jimbo!
-Those god d&*^ bumpers
-Human bicycle
-Making poppies. Lots and lots of poppies.
-Sin sin cosine sin, three point one four one five nine!
-Singing Don’t Stop Believing every single day in the shop, as well as in the vans
-Falling asleep on the work tables in the shop
-The massive stampede that always occurred at dinner time
-Working so late I was too tired to drive home and had my parents get me
-Getting kicked off school campus cuz it was snowing but we still wanted to work
-Running around like a dinosaur in Spoes room at 10 at night with Julie and Theresa
-FOOD RUNS
-Spoe ALWAYS calling me Hurricane, NEVER Katrina
-Brad texting during every single meeting
-Listening to Pretty Rave Girl on the was to the scrimmage
-Trevor getting stuck in between seats in the van
-Chanting M-O-R-T-O-R-Q MorTorq Mortorq We Love YOU!
-Our very own Dorothy
-Dressing up like the scarecrow for Caitlin’s video
-That first kick of adrenaline that hit Friday morning in Long Beach
-Abbie having to eat all that ice cream at Bubba Gumps
-Barker spending 30 minutes in Hooters!
-Doing the Cha Cha Slide with the MorTorq guys
-Breaking into Mamma Mia at the Denver Regional
-Getting kicked out of the practice day in Denver because of snow [man snow gotta kicked out of two schools in one year]
-Kicking butt at Trivia at Dave & Busters
-Brads ugly orange Ewok hat
-Johnny, John, and Jim staying with me in my hotel room in Denver, watching Bizarre Foods with me because I was too sick to leave my room.
-Hallway meetings
-Jessica: OMG HBO!
-Falling off the window ledge in the Long Beach hotel room.
-Theresa’s screaming on the plane to Denver
-Being so sick I couldnt stand straight in Denver but still making sure I was cheering the final day
-BABY SHARK
-Those INSANE stairs at the capital building
-THE MODERN ART MUSEUM! And Brad analyzing EVERYTHING! Even that freaky movie.
-The crazy turbulence coming back from Denver.
-Winning the Joined Too Late award at the banquet
-Falling completely in love with this team.
Dear Team 399,
You have all changed me in some way. All for the better. I am who I am today because of you. Nothing will ever replace you or these memories. You are my family now.
Love Always,
Hurricane<3