The Death of FIRST

FIRST General Forum
1

Hello FIRST Community,

Although I have officially resigned from all FIRST related activities, I am somehow lured back into them – or even forced back. I cannot really say how organized my thoughts are about all this, but let me just say whatever I can come up with. I leave it upon you all to find your own meaning in whatever I say.

The first generation of FIRSTers are growing up. They have graduated, left their high school institutions, and moved on in different directions. Some returned to FIRST and continued its heritage by starting a team at their colleges and universities. Freshmen teenagers starting multi-thousand dollar teams to further spread the addiction of FIRST among high school students. Some sacrifice time, effort, money, and others suffer consequences of too much team dedication that either home, school, or personal life suffers. Yet these students are still strong and remain strong as long as their FIRST teams survive – their babies, their FIRST chance at life.

It seems to me that FIRST has lost a lot of old members negatively. A lot due to politics within a team, and sometimes due to rudeness and disrespect withint teams. Be it team student leaders, team founders, or team leaders. I have heard plentiful stories from teachers from other teams who have suffered due to a team’s treatment of them. I have heard from students leaders whose teams cause them great pain. And I have experienced and heard of team founders & leaders, alienated by their team and unjustly recognized for efforts given, sacrificed, and donated. Many of the pains these leaders have experienced seem to be caused by unappreciation of such acts of kindness that such leaders have voluntarilly given to each of their teams.

When I give something, I often give it without expecting anything in return. I give because it gives me great joy to give it, and the joy I receive from that is enough to make me feel satisfied. I do not believe a thank you is needed, but that means it is not appreciated. And so when a team leader decides to give all their heart to a team, it is true love that they exhibit towards it. But betrayal of that love is easy. Simple negative acts against such persons can be devastating – worse the person then feels unappreciated. This then leads to a feeling of having wasted effort, lost time, and depression.

Imagine that you are a parent and you lovingly gave your child the best education, home life, and financial help, and when the child grew up after all the help you gave him, he decides to disown you as a parent. Or perhaps the child decides to betray you by portraying your image negatively. How would you feel? (Wasted time, effort, depressed?)

Where am I leading to this? I’m not sure yet. So I will go on. Bear with me.

As FIRST lives on, we have new teams springing up to life with new leaders, new students, and new spirit. We have rookie teams of the past dying. We have veteran 10-year teams dying. We have first leaders resigning or quitting. We’ve even have tragic events such as the automobile of FIRST students getting into fatal accidents and destroying a team. Whether their death be because of money, leadership, politics, or instability, imagine all that school effort by students, teachers, professors, engineers, all disappearing to nothiness as if it never happened. In some cases forgotten, in others memorialized but gone forever.

I was a FIRST first-generation student. I graduated and eventually started my own team at my university. After pouring two years of my life into it and sacrificing more than I should have, I resigned from the team due to reasons I may or may not want to post here (email me if you’re curious). But the fact of the matter is that my team lives on, yet FIRST has died within me. Or has it? It seems to lure me back every so often. I seem to remember the joyous moments that have been immortalized in my thoughts of my robot spinning into action, my team screaming in support, and my team winning. Then I remember all the time I spent on the team, perfecting the team image, team robot, team spirit. I remember all the time I invested in teaching the students (when I should have been reading my books), I remember the time I spent giving to the students my heart and soul for the love of mentorship and for the love of learning. And I feel good.

But then I remember how the team treated me afterwards. I remember how some members negatively portrayed my image and spread rumors to destroy me. And I remember how some members felt they owned a piece of the team and decided to boot the team founder and leader. And I remember how the team forgot about all I had given them.

Someone told me once that when you are young, you sometimes do not appreciate the love that your parents give to you, not until you are older. Should the parent feel hurt if the child show unappreciation through disrespect and ignorance of such old deeds? Or should the parent try to hope for the best for a future when they will be appreciated – perhaps at least respected?

FIRST is dying, someone told me. What really is dying among students of first-generation FIRST? Are we merely growing more mature? Are we just growing up to see how cruel the world can be? Are we seeing how other adults or team members can be power hungry dictators who like to take credit for themselves? Is FIRST dying in our veins? Or is FIRST continously haunting some of us endlessly? Is death not peace?

Life goes on, someone wise said. Perhaps it does and should. I have learned that volunteering for a team is meaningless if you want money, love, or appreciation for your effort. I have learned that giving your heart and soul to a team will in no way pay you back in the real world. I have learned that leading a team to victory will only lead your team to betray you to take the glory for themselves. And such an learning experience is indeed, pathetic.

But I look beyond these on the surface meanings. I have made a difference. I have seen the eyes of enthusiasm and excitement. I have seen my robot win gloriously. I have shaken the hands of thankful parents for the gift I have given their children. I know I made a difference, I know I will be somewhat remembered. And I will never forget them.

So at the end of what I am writing, I still do not know what I really am saying here. I guess I just want to say that I have quit FIRST and I would like to remain dead. I have learned my lessons from FIRST and I have learned to make the best of it. Let FIRST die peacefully, as this experience has opened my eyes to the world.

Anton Abaya
20 yrs old, from UMass Boston
Former student member of team 97, MIT/CRLS
Former Founder/Leader of Team Rambots 419
UMass Boston & BC High Team
[email protected]
10-27-01

2

FIRST can do a lot to play with your brain, especially when you have started a team. Everything can go completely right one week, and then everything wrong the next. It can give you so much energy one day, and drain all energy from you the next. Having loads a continuous stream of homework and exams on the side certainly do not make it easier.

I started a team with the intention of starting a team. My intention was never to lead the team, but rather to start a team and bring it to the point where it could strongly remain without my presence. Somehow, I have ended up being considered the main figure or leader of the team. This is not necessarily a position I want, but is a position I can not simply back out of. I would like to back out of it, and have been making continuous progression towards that goal. After all, I will be graduating in two and a half years, and if I do coop I won’t be here for part of next season. By teaching what you know to others, and letting them head sectors of the team, you ensure that your team will live on when it is your time to leave. My goal is to make a team structure organized in a way such that the team will live on regardless of who comes and goes. No one person should be in charge of everything. Rather, specific individuals should be in charge of sectors of the team.

You may have left your team, but your team did not die. You were an important part of it while you were part of it, but for certain reasons you can no longer be part of it. The important thing to realize is that the team lives on. It doesn’t matter who is on the team now. These people will eventually leave to. The important thing is that every year new students are exposed to FIRST due in part to your dedication to starting the team.

Like your team, and like my team, and like most all the other teams out there, FIRST will live on. FIRST will go through times when important people leave and major changes are made. However, FIRST is well organized. All people who work for FIRST are involved to further the purpose of FIRST. Having people come and go is not necessarily a bad thing. It brings fresh new ideas to FIRST. This applies to teams as well. Teams go through hard times. FIRST goes through hard times. I think this past year has been an incredibly hard time for FIRST. They’ve lost two great people, they were ridiculed for the 2001 game, and they’ve had a hard time dealing with the situation of nationals. However, FIRST is as alive as ever. They have an unprecedented situation now where they have more teams and demand than they can presently support! FIRST is growing, not dying. It is also changing.

FIRST is not what it used to be. People are leaving, some teams do collapse, and for certain individuals it can seem like FIRST is dying as well. However, it is important to look at the whole picture. Many many new teams are forming, new regionals are forming, and new minds are joining FIRST. These additions often outweigh what is lost. It is sad that not every team can stick around and that the same great people can not remain with FIRST, but these ends bring new beginnings. This is the way the world works and the way progress is made.

Patrick

3

It’s very hard to go through the process of starting new teams. At times, I just want to quit and just concentrate on something else in my life but I always end up coming back. Just to see the expression on those kids’ faces when they see their robot move and score points, it makes it seem worth while. I know from experience that not everything we do is appreciated. A lot is taken for granted. Teachers and students often do not realize what we sacrifice to bring this program to them. I just hope that FIRST students will continue to spread the word of FIRST no matter how hard it is. It’s worth it in the end, the road there is just very bumpy. Don’t give up on this. I know that I will try not too no matter how hard the going gets. I may have to take a break every once in a while but I’ll be back every time. I think that I owe FIRST that much since it has given me so much. I owe my acceptance to college to FIRST. I owe my great summer job to FIRST. I owe my interest in robotics to FIRST. I owe a lot of lifetime friends to FIRST. For all this, I am willing to give all I can to this program to bring it to as many students as I can.

4

I quickly selected this thread for the same reason most of you did, “The Death of FIRST”? What could this be? The organization that has led me to a career decision in mechanical engineering, the organization that has exposed numerous teens (and I’m sure adults) to an experience like no other, the organization that I am proud to be a part of, is dying?

In last year’s competition, my team did well. Perhaps this has made it easier for the adults - but in the matter at hand, brought to our attention by Anton, I would like to say thank you to all of the adults on my team who made everything possible. To the engineers, the fundraising committee, security, the food committee :smiley: , George (who really is his own category), and all the parents: thank you. But, that’s not even all of the adults on one team - what about all of those helping on other teams? To all of you: thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do, you are truly changing lives.

While it is not nearly the same, I am mentoring two Lego League teams. I am experiencing this form of leadership and feeling probably a few of the same things you are. Through this, I have gained a renewed respect for you which is probably the reason I am writing this right now. Please, continue to help when you see the excitement in our eyes, but more so when you see sorrow, failure, and frustration in our actions.

5

Something that I have picked up in my few years with FIRST and my few months in student leadership can not be better worded in my opinion than a Team Advisor by the name of Damon Jensen from Newark Memorial High put it.

Forgive me Damon if I am putting you in the spotlight :slight_smile:

To paraphrase,

“To build a robot is only half of FIRST, the other half, is to build an organization.”

One must realize that this is a great challenge to many high school students.

This is not an isolated incident by any means. Learning to deal with people, learning to preserve an organization will inevitabally come to this sort of crisis or crossroads especially when those student leaders are precisely what they are, inexpierenced student leaders.

Whatever your thoughts might be concerning being ostresized by your former team, I do not know, but I only ask that you have faith in FIRST to present a real-world situation to student who in this case, have a chance to make a mistake within an organization that will not destroy their life.

Do not be discouraged by particuliar individuals who have differences with you, have faith, fight on.

At the same time, you must let the current student leaders operate, make mistakes, and learn.

This is one of the unwritten ultimate goals of FIRST, to give students a simulation of the real world, at least in my opinion.

6

i have been on a long sabatical from cd, and i will continue to be. as much as i like what goes on here, i just dont have the time (no im not leaving first though, and around build time im sure ill be back) i HAD to come out of hybernation for this thread, however…

RIP
anton abaya - THE ninny
1998-2001

us real ninnies still love you!..and im sure you know who im talking about.

7

This is so painful to hear. I’m sorry for this person, but I would like to say that not all teams are like this. Our team warships the team leaders and mentors. We realize there is NO way we could have done what we did, or accomplished as much as we did without them. So first, they are appriciated. As for love? I love our mentors. Mr. Dunbar, Ken Krieger, Lydia Conoway, Mark Chow, Scott Minniman, and the countless leaders that have come before me. They have built our program up from literally nothing, and without them I would not be where I am today, with the love of engineering and design I have developed.
Now, the third facet of that complaint, about it not being for money? Truth be told, engineering is LUCRATIVE beyond belief. I’ve done designs, even something as simple a logo, for a few hundred dollars. There is money, love, and praise all around, and just because it doesn’t ALWAYS happen, but without FIRST, I’d be just another senior kicking an odd little ball.

8

Ya know, when I got out of high school, I had this elaborate plan to get a FIRST team at my college. Choosing a college so I could participate in FIRST was not something I was going to do and so I planned to get one. But after one attempt that didn’t work, I stopped caring. If you go to a college such as the one I do and major in engineering, there are many more opportunities which are far more challenging that FIRST.

I never went back to help my team because our coach would come in on the first building day with drawings that looked nothing like what the students came up with. And also because I think his only reason for sticking with the program after his plans failed each year, was to take his family to Florida for free while the rest of the team paid their way.

As I recall, the point of FIRST is to inspire people to get involved in science and engineering. For this reason, I had no problem watching robots that were obviously built by professionals with no student involvement, because that was what I wanted to do. But I really couldn’t stand the arrogant students on teams, where there would be 60 on the team, and not one of them in the pit.

Anyway, I’m majoring in engineering and part of that is because of FIRST. But people, get over it, FIRST should not consume your life. Decorating your entire room with stuff from FIRST? Grow up. It’s like walking around with the trophy from boys-and-girls club soccer from when you were 8.

And so many people forget that the reason a lot of people join FIRST is for the trip to Florida. Yeah, yeah, you wanted the experience, but other don’t. Take a look around during the finals and notice how many teams are not there cause they’re having fun in the parks. Factor in all the people on teams where they don’t do anything… (side note: last time I was at finals, there was a team whose members were complaining they didnt get enough drive time because the people who were building the robot took longer than expected, and another team who said something about flying in a welder from Germany, and then followed that statement up with, but the students do about 90% of the work.)

In conclusion, FIRST is to inspire people, once you have your inspiration, you do not need to dedicate your life to it. If you get to college and all you can think about doing is going back to FIRST, that is a sad sight because you picked the wrong school.

9

I have the greatest respect for college students who take the time and effort to be active on a FIRST team. As you know, going through college is not an easy thing to do.

For one, getting decent grades is probably the toughest thing that you have done in your life up to this point. Secondly, college students are going through a time when they make drastic life changes, going from childhood to adulthood.

Anton, you did well in starting the Rambots. You’re wanting to move onto something else, and I hope that you get to do what you want. There is nothing wrong with wanting to move on. I’m sure that you’ll find success in what you want to do.

As for captainfirst, ya know, you are out of line. You’re only a few years out of a FIRST team, and you are already bashing people who enjoy getting into FIRST. No one insulted you, but you urge people to “grow up” if they are excited about FIRST. If you think people should move on to other things, then why are you in here discussing something that you’ve not been a part of for a few years? I agree… find what you want to do with your life. There are a lot of things out there. Seek out your challenges, but lay off of people who get into things that may not be right for you.

Andy B.

10

The main point I was trying to make was, FIRST is fun. But don’t think that it is the greatest thing in the world. And don’t think that you will be attached for life because you will find other resources.

11

How can u say such things about FIRST when its probably gotten you where u are?

(just think about it)

Plus FIRST never said that the students (no matter the number) had to build the robots…

Decorating your entire room with stuff from FIRST?

I also think David Kelly have an awesome room w/ all his FIRST stuff (i know thats who u are talking about)

:slight_smile:

12

Hey hey, my favorite robots are the ones where the engineers do all the work. If it weren’t for the great robots of car companies, I may have stopped working with FIRST after the first regional I went to. But I seriously question the motives of the huge group of students that go along to Florida.

FIRST IS GREAT. but life goes on after FIRST. And you may not realize that till you leave.

13

grow up dude! (captainfirst) how can you come on here and blast FIRST and also blast ME??? i don’t know what happened during your FIRST experience, but thats not my problem. you don’t even care for your mentors and coaches. they have helped you get where you are now. just because you didn’t obvously have fun, doesn’t mean others do or CAN. me and many others could care less about going to florida. i’d be happy if the nats were held in oklahoma.

it seems to me that the more teams that are getting into FIRST that there seems to be more politics involved. people seem to forget that every year dean and woodie say that it is perfectly alright for the engineers build the robot. that doesn’t happen on our team, but i see nothing wrong with it. the whole meaning of FIRST is to INSPIRE, not teach. there is a major difference. there is nothing wrong to dedicating your whole life to FIRST. thats your life. i’d really like to one day work for dean and FIRST. i think it would the the dream job.

and yes clark is right, i’m the one who has the FIRST signs hanging in my room. gotta problem with it? FIRST is what i love and it will always be a part of me.

Have you ever heard the phrase: If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all? my mom taught me that when i was like 5.

David Kelly who was PERSONALLY offended

14

I think you are wrong about the engineer-vs-student built robot question. I will agree, It’s cool to watch a phenomenal robot that can do everything, but I think some of those teams are missing out on (in my opinion) the best thing in FIRST: building your robot. My team build our own robot, every year, with no engineers. It helps us all to get a personal connection to the robot that we wouldn’t have otherwise. It is no longer the team’s robot, or our sponsor’s robot, but OUR robot. There’s nothing better than watching something that you personally helped to create. There will always be teams that have robots built for them, and I respect that, but I, for one, believe the best robot is one built by the students of the team.

15

I remember the days last year when I had the most post count in this forum, and Dr. Joe would say, “Who does this Ken Leung kid think he is~?! How dare he have more post counts than every one of us~?!” And I would reply with me boring speeches, “Blah blah blah gracious professionalism… Blah blah blah I simply post to provide information in discussion so everyone would benefit from it… blah blah blah I don’t think it is right to compete in post counts, it would only make people post more foolish comments…” But of course I kept paying attention to that silly number anyway, it was, as I said, “An interesting way to understand how posters act in these forums.” After a while, I noticed this guy name “Anton” catching up on the numbers. “Ah, he just beat Matt Leese… Oh! He’s pass Jessica Boucher’s count… Uh… now he jumped over Joe Johnson… Hmm… wait a minute… why am I no longer first place~?!?!” Although I never compete with Anton in post counts, I have to admin I did post more message after that. :wink: It would be a hopeless struggle anyway because by the end of the season Anton is about 100 posts over my number. And that’s how I knew Anton in the beginning…

I still remember the days when I would receive Instant Messages after 3am over here from this “GodAnton” person from east coast talking about gears and chain tools… It was a time when “GodAnton” stayed with his team all day until way pass 12 at night, go home to chat a little bit on internet, maybe take a break, and go back to his team for another stressful day… It was also a time when “LKen541” spend three hours in public transportation and go back to his own high school team every weekend helping out, and sit in front of a milling machine all day for a couple pieces of aluminum… Yup… those certainly are some interesting times I spend with my life. (notice the lack of phases such as “the greatest/best time I’ve ever had!” or “I had SO much fun!”

You’ve all heard Anton’s side of this story, and even though mine isn’t all that different, I would still like to tell you my side of this story…

.
.
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Just like Anton and many college FIRST-a-holics, I felt that the whole experience in FIRST during high school just wasn’t enough. I was particularly dissatisfied because I joined the team junior year, and had to leave just went I learn enough to understand what the competition really is about. So, I decided I would go against all odds and stay one more year… and that is exactly what I did. The former GRT team leader once warned me about this. “You might be all excited right now, but you will regret doing this afterward.” He said. And he was right. I really did regret doing this afterward, and for reasons I never expected.

In the beginning, all I planned to was to give back all I learned… To teach the students about tools… To be part of the bonding in the team… To feel appreciated… To be friends with the students… To be part of the great spirit of GRT… And I really did work hard to try to get to reach all these goals, and I too, scarified more than I should into the team. Only I didn’t get what I expected.

It wasn’t that I wasn’t treated nicely… It wasn’t that I did too little work. I come to realize that it was myself who pushed me through these troubles, and asked too much without knowing what’s really coming.

Who am I to teach high school kids anyway when I am no teacher specifically trained? Who am I to hope to lead the team when I can’t be there most of the time? Who am I to work on the robot when I didn’t really build that machine? Who am I to hang out with the members when all the people I talked to online are people on the forum or other teams? Who am I to want to make decision with the team when I think differently than them? Who am I to be useful to the team when all I do is sitting in front of the mill working on pieces for the students? Who am I to share the glory when the robot did great at competition?

I was really expecting to extend the high school experience after all, and trying to feel good about myself on top of that… Even though I kept saying I was just going back to give what I gained, my immature mind told me, “Those two years were extremely fun! Let’s do it again! And let’s show those kids how smart you are!” How foolish of me. Things didn’t work out that way. I was most useful to the team as a machinist, and that’s all that is to it. I was merely a bystander watching the process.

Was it too foolish and selfish to ask for a little praise or friendship from those high school kids? I am starting to believe, yes, I shouldn’t have hoped for anything at all. I should really stop being so greedy for attention and friendship… I should’ve realized FIRST ended when I graduated.

FIRST died in me after that year…

But after I “grew up” after that year, I stop caring for attention other things I hopped for before. I saw that I made an impact to quite a few of those students as they talked to me afterward. I tried working with a few students with all my heart, and I believe I helped them along their journey of life, and I will never forget that.

I wasn’t all that useless after all, and I believe I could really share my valuable experience with the students/teams around me. And I decided… why not let things go the way it is and not force my way into it? Why not just forget the expectations, and receive my rewards whenever they happen to show up, and have fun along the way? I decided to tell people, “Here is what I have to offer. Take it or leave it.” After that, I made peace with myself and stopped hurting myself so badly physically and mentally. Seems like I gave myself a chance to start a new life, and I did just that.

Maybe this is a part of growing up, to see this world in a different viewpoint and face new challenges with different expectation… To understand that this world is far from perfect and that I shouldn’t be thinking so ideally. “Are we just growing up to see how cruel the world can be?” I start to believe that’s the truth, no matter how sad it seems. You never know how things work until you really grow up and develop your own senses to observe the work, just like how you don’t understand why adults act they way they do.

Although I didn’t learn that “leading a team to victory will only lead your team to betray you to take the glory for themselves.” as Anton did, I did learn that, life don’t really give you what you want. That’s just the way things are. I can either feel really bad about it, or take care of myself and adapt to the system.

I never blame anyone for the “interesting” experience. It just the way this system works. And, even though, yes, I do regret doing it… I know I would regret it even more if I didn’t do it.

But I really do miss how innocent I used to me. I used to be proud of that young mind, thinking I could be perfectly free giving to everyone in the world and not ask anything back, and always be a nice person who don’t raise any conflict with anyone else… Well, I guess I still got the being a nice person part. :wink:

16

I take a step back, and look at the complexity of this post.

I take another step back, and look at the complexity of FIRST.

I take just another step back, and look at how my life has changed.

Then I contemplate, boy oh boy where would I be without FIRST.

If you’ll take my honest assessment of this whole situation, I think FIRST has done its job.

What has it brought out in all of us?

Sure it has been painful at times to go through the experience, but that’s life, I can’t believe how narrow minded I would have been had it not been for FIRST.

I’m sure you’ll all agree, that regardless of your feelings regarding the experience, that you’ve not only learned something, but have probably done a great deal of growing up.

This tests both students and mentors. In what I believe to be the most challenging field of all, group dynamics.

If you take a step back from the madness, it ultimately boils down to this, one opinion against another.

These opinions are formed through the experience of FIRST, all regarding how one has been treated by other people.

… and you know what?

In my short three years on the team, by passing on my knowledge of not only robot building, but life in general, I have felt the most gratifying thing off all, being able to change a life.

I will also extend my gratitude up the chain, to our mentors, who without them I would not be here at this point.

Thank you Mr. Shinta, Mr. Rock, Mr. Bronstein, Mr. Sambyal, Ms. Worrall.

However, I would also like to thank those whom I’ve worked with. Being open-minded, respectful, and ultimately great people. Whom without I probably would not be here posting today.

Thank you Catherine, thank you Jennifer.

These names may not be familiar to you, but whoever you be, mentor or student, I’m sure you have names whom have changed your life in one way or another.

I’d like to open it up to anyone willing, to recognize those who have made an impact on our lives. (Should have waited till thanksgiving to be more correct I suppose)

Good luck to all, whereever your journey my take you.

17

I read these posts after I have spent my Sunday preparing for yet another training session for our new rookie team 832. I started to ask myself why I am still doing this. I think that the FIRST program has many different levels that allow growth throughout your involvement. Through my high school career I learned many things that have brought me here to Georgia Tech to study mechanical engineering and to allow me to succeed. But I didn’t stop there. I kept thinking there was more to it than just getting me interested in engineering. I decided to continue my involvement by starting a new team. That, believe it or not, has many new challenges that I had never encountered before. The politics and the challenge of having to explain things to those who have never been exposed to such a program. We had neer fully designed a robot on our own and now we were being expected to. I learned a whole lot from this experience. I think that no matter how long you are involved in this program at whatever level, you always learn something new. There are other programs once you get to college that are challenging but none have such interation between high schools and industry. Where else can you impact the lives of high school students and pass on your knowledge? I don’t know when I would ever stop my involvement in FIRST. It gives me such a rush to be able to help others achieve their goals and surpass them.

18

Ken,
I know that sometimes it seems like we over living in out funny little GRT bubble don’t love and cherrish you, but we REALLY do. I know last year wasn’t the best it could have been, and maybe that’s because you positioned yourself more as a student, rather than as a mentor, as you should have, and as you deserve to be.
You know how it works with us. Mentors don’t machine parts, they don’t design. You tried to be both, and I think that maybe that’s where things went a little sour for you.

I don’t think, though, that FIRST died in you, Ken, I don’t believe it. It’s just at another stage now. You’ve let go of the “student” part of FIRST. You’re one of the most amazing students GRT has ever had, but at the same time last year you were BEYOND student.

You know I love you ken. You’re what I hope to be when I’m 30. This year I’ve been put in charge by some odd quirk of the voting system or something, I’m not really sure, and I know I’ll be asking you for more help than you can possibly hope to give me. You said you changed some lives, and you’re absolutely right. We worked together at Lockheed, and then GRT for two years. The amount you taught me, and the effect you had on me WILL last for as long as I love engineering.

With all my heart I want to thank you Ken. You’ve been one of the most amazing people I’ve ever had the privilage to meet, and I want you to know for SURE that you are not un-appriciated in the slightest. I cherrished every lesson you taught, every criticizm or praise you gave to a piece I’d made.

THANK YOU KEN! I’LL MISS YOU THIS YEAR, WHEN I’LL PROBALLY NEED YOUR HELP MORE THAN EVER! HUGS KEN

19

*Originally posted by captainfirst *
**Anyway, I’m majoring in engineering and part of that is because of FIRST. But people, get over it, FIRST should not consume your life. Decorating your entire room with stuff from FIRST? Grow up. It’s like walking around with the trophy from boys-and-girls club soccer from when you were 8.
**

If you want people to grow up and move on from FIRST I propose that we institute this as a policy. Now that this has been done lets look at what we have done. None of the teams have college students on them. Well, that eliminates many teams from existance. (I’m sure if someone gets bored enough they will figure out the numbers to go with my post when I’m done) Now think about the students who are missing out on being inspired. Next we look at the adults, many adults get dragged into the program by their children. Well, kiss those children buh bye because they aren’t getting inspired do in turn you can eliminate the parents. Now look at the engineers that are sent to teams from sponsors. No team means no sponsors so kiss ‘em good bye. Would you like me to keep going? I’m sure I can eliminate everyone else in FIRST who was not directly brought into the program by one of teh FIRST people.
I don’t doubt that you have great resecpt for those who guided you through FIRST, but don’t you think it would show them a little more courtesy if you don’t tell them they should grow up? If everyone grew up we would never have such wonderful things as theme parks, like disney, or programs like FIRST. No one would worry about teaching kids stuff like that or making places where adults can be a kid again. I truelly hope you rethink your post.
I’m a college student who is mentoring a team and I think things are going well. Working with the machinery is one thing but answering questions about real life stuff is also a big help to them. I’m from a different state and setting as most of them. They go to a magnet school and are, comparatively, overachievers. I was a public school underachiever who skated through off common sense. They have asked me all kinds of questions about school, real life, grades, etc. It’s not limmited to FIRST stuff. Think of the number of kids who would just go out with friends and get into trouble if they didn’t participate in FIRST. I’m glad to be able to say I spend all the extra time with FIRST. I used to spend it on coaching soccer. Both are great things to do. If it means that I’m still a child not yet into the cruel adult world then so be it. But I’d like to stay in my childish place, if it means that I get to take my teams cardboard cut out of Woodie to random places and photograph it. I truely think it’s a shame that you had to grow up and leave all the fun behind. I’m willing to take up your left behind fun and keep on truckin’. So while yo uhave fun in your world I’ll have fun in mine and I’m sure we’ll both be happy in the end.
BTW, David…
I love the pics of your FIRST room. They are really great. Keep the collection growing so you can make it into an enitre house one day.
And of course I can’t leave this out… mad props to you Ken!
Anton, I think FIRST will be different without you, I know the board will.

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I thoughts on some of the topics in this thread…

I am high school senior, and, although I do not plan on starting my own team in college, I do plan on helping mentor a team at a high school, who was a rookie this year, in the city of my college. I don’t expect to take over or be thier leader. I do not want recognition or anything else…I just want to share my experience with them.

I think FIRST has affected me in a way that nothing else could have. No, FIRST did not inspire to become an engineer. I am going into Journalism. Does that mean that FIRST failed me, or more like, I failed FIRST? No, I don’t believe that. I learned so much from being a part of my team. FIRST teaches us things like organization skills, how to work as a team, teaches us to accept rejections AND sucesses. As the captian of my team, I feel like I gave all I could to my team, and what an experience I had. From the late nights, to the excitment of competiton, the dissapointments of loosing, to the nerve recking moments before they announced the Chairman’s Award winner and the tears that filled our teams eyes after winning, I enjoyed every moment of it.

I don’t think FIRST will ever die in me. Sure, other things will take over, but I think, and I truly hope, that FIRST will be a part of me, because it was a big part of my high school experience and I dont think that I can forget it so easily. I truly want to keep FIRST a part of my life. One of my future hopes is to be a judge.

And about the having a FIRST decorated room…get this. Three of our team members got our team summation (which we used in our buttons and hoodies this year, equals our team number) tatooed on thier shoulders. A few more members are concidering. I dont think they will ever forget thier hard work and dedication to our team.