In an attempt to recruit incoming freshmen at their orientation, our team created a mini-flyer with the URL of our unofficial webpage and a 10 ten list. I guess that top ten list was our attempt at describing FIRST and what it means to us. Please keep in mind that this flyer was created at the last minute in about half an hour. Also that little/no thought was given to the actual order of the list except that numbers 1 and 2 are my personal favorites. After that we just wrote them in random order for the sake of actually finishing in time. =)
So here it is for your enjoyment:
Top Ten Reasons to Join High Tech’s FIRST Team:
10) You get to try out a Segway a competitions
9) Great mentors
8) Get your picture in the paper
7) There’s something for everyone- no matter how normal or geeky
6) Make friends with upperclassmen
5) Cool giveaways
4) Unlimited access to all the tools in the tech lab for 6 straight weeks
3) $3.8 million in scholarships
2) Opportunities to make friends across the world
On the job training: learn cool stuff, no previous experience required
Sorry, I just saw this quote in the spotlight list and I kind of disagree. FIRST should not be “your life”. Don’t get me wrong I love the program but it shouldn’t be something that consumes most of your life. If your consumed by FIRST as a student and even a mentor your not really fulfilling the vision of FIRST and its founders, “To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes.” Why? Well, I bet Dean Kamen, Woodie Flowers, and the other leaders of FIRST would like to see us go on to bigger and greater things pertaining to science and technology, and IF we have time, mentor a team. I see FIRST as a program that is advantageous to students prior to entering college and later into a career pertaining to science and technology (or really anything for that matter) because of the experiences you gain from it.
FIRST to me isn’t just an organization for creating robotics & learning math and science skills. FIRST is a remembrance that I will look back on and tell my children one day of how I became the great person I could have become. Also, the great people that have helped me and guided me along the way. With being in football as well, my coach always announces that the team with the best character on and off the field will have more positives than negatives in a season. That is why when I come into the Robotics season, I am ecstatic & amplified to be there. The best thing is that every day my attitude stays the same. It’s like a break from reality to really test yourself as well. Push your mind to the limits and beyond.
FIRST is indeed many things. To me, FIRST is a challenge, I see it as a program thats helped shape who I am, and taught me many things I continue to use in my career. I also see it forming the next generation of engineers, scientists, inventors. It is very much a positive force in the world.
