i have a speech to do in public speaking and my thesis is; FIRST has changed the outlook of science and technology of high school and college students.
I’m interested in finding out if anyone has made any sort of a speech regarding what FIRST has done for them. Has anyone been hired by their sponsors after graduation? Has FIRST changed anyone’s outlook on science and technology? Thanks!"
You’ll probably be interested in some of these first-person accounts:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/papers.php?s=&action=single&paperid=389
Look around. What else could cause folks to go sleepless for six straight weeks? That’s life-changing, isn’t it? 
FIRST didn’t change my outlook of science and technology, but it provided me a way out of where I was and where I was going.
Wetzel
I just got a request on to post this speech afterwords to see an input of a fellow firster to try to explain it to others who haven’t heard much and i will be posting it shortly after my speech.
I decided to attach the essay that I wrote for my college applications (keep in mind this is 6+ years ago, before I was a real engineer!!). So check that out.
In short, before I started FIRST, I was interested in science… I wanted to become a glaciologist (I thought the idea of combining a job in science and being able to ski would be great!) But once FIRST came along, I realized that engineering was what I really wanted to do. It was a bit more tangible and would be a lot easier to get into. We had some great mentors (Thanks Dave, Rob, and Tom!!) So FIRST changed my outlook. It also changed me, in that I wanted to continue with FIRST on the mentor side, because I thought if I could inspire one student, be like the mentors I had to just one other student, it would all be worth it.
Enough story time. I will try to compile what facts and figures I have seen on hirings from the years back to 96. I know I got internships with HSSSI (team 175) for all three years I was in college, which was the same campus/division as my HS FIRST team 176. And I personally believe FIRST was a huge factor in me getting into Clarkson and getting a job at Harris Corp. I was able to easily discuss the engineering, teamwork and leadership skills that I had learned through FIRST in HS and college.
It also taught me that there was a lot more to HS & college than grades. While it was important to keep grades up, it is better to gain these skills and try to maintain a 3.something than it is to get 4.0’s in every class. It taught me patience and to accept and learn from failure, instead of kicking myself for it. So I guess FIRST changed a lot of outlooks in my life! 
Ahhh.doc (30.5 KB)
Ahhh.doc (30.5 KB)
Yes, I’ve done many speeches about how FIRST has changed my life for the better, and how it added a substantial amount of positive direction to my career path.
I’m in the middle of college now, my high school team sponsor was UTC Hamilton Sundstrand. I worked two summers at Hamilton and I’m entering a 6-month co-op with Pratt & Whitney. I have a hunch that they will be interested in hiring me when i graduate.
My application essay basically describes FIRST’s ultimate impact on me … so I’m attaching that. 
If anyone has criticisms to offer about this essay, please do. Any time you want! I’m using this for USC (for which criticisms would be too late for, since apps are due already) and… maybe for some other schools. We’ll see
Anyway, aside from what I remember mentioning in my essay… FIRST has taught me everything I know about engineering. I’d never done building, wiring, programming, etc. before … but in 6 week’s time, I felt like I’d learned as much as if I’d gone through a year-long class. Not only that, but I absolutely loved every single minute of it. FIRST made me realize that engineering may just be perfect for me … even though I’d never seriously considered it before. It’s awesome. I’m thankful I got to participate (and am participating! …For the last year as a high school student, but still.) I’m SO grateful that we got the money to participate through the NASA grant.
And… I’m still hopping around inside, waiting impatiently for January to roll around 
Okay, enough rambling. Essay attachment is as follows… keep in mind that I had a 500-800 word limit. So… yes. The impact stuff’s in the last part of the essay
USC Essay robotics.doc (28.5 KB)
USC Essay robotics.doc (28.5 KB)
Here’s an essay from one of our students who’s given me permission to post his essay about FIRST and it’s impact on him.
We’ve had several FIRST graduates return to work for our main sponsor, Festo. They also have a high school intern program, and of course college interns.
FIRST Essay.doc (22 KB)
FIRST Essay.doc (22 KB)
Thats the truth. FIRST keeps me busy out of trouble, also allows me too meet and work with some awesome people in the process and learn some pretty cool stuff. FIRST changes everything, there is nothing like it. You truly have to see it to believe it. I used to wanna be a professional baseball player now I want to go into mechanical or aerospace engineering. Name something else that could make that change.
I remember Lavery saying in a speech last June that when he was growing up there were three things boys wanted to be: a fire fighter, a baseball player, or an astronaut.
Haha, I guess it’s still the same way (Maybe Dave is younger than he looks 
)
LOL
Let’s see… wouldn’t have done engineering, definately never would have heard of Northeastern, enough said… now where’d that essay go?
Good luck on your speech.
Happy holidays everyone!
Thank you to everyone who replied and sent me their story, it was great and i did very well on my speech.