"FIRST provided us with many wonderful opportunities. Throughout the year we have learned important technical concepts in mechanical and electrical systems, programming, physics, and math. More importantly, we learned how to be better people, make friends, get to know our community, and help those in need.

As a Team Manager, there are many things that I wish to accomplish, and the greatest of all is improving myself and encouraging my teammates. From my previous experience with FIRST, I have seen what this program can do for people and the effect it has on everyone, and I wanted to be part of that. My goal is to increase my knowledge in the area of mechanical engineering as well as improve my inter-personal skills and my leadership abilities.

FIRST is something that is inexplicable. In order to fully understand FIRST and all its glory, you must participate in it. I cannot explain how I see the people change as the year goes on. I can say that they become better people, sometimes much different from how they began. They become my friends and my family and I enjoy being around them, but that is only scratching the surface of how I feel when I see my fellow teammates change.

My experience with FIRST has taught me so many valuable skills that I feel puts me in a good position to succeed when I leave high school. At the end of each season I almost cry to see my senior friends leaving, to see the end of all the work we have done, but I smile knowing that there is always another year. FIRST has had such a big impact on my life that I can't imagine how I would be without it. I talk about other people changing, but I feel that I also have changed. I receive compliments from the mentors saying that I have matured greatly from the previous year, and I truly appreciate how FIRST has contributed to that. I'm a more giving person now, and when I think about what I could do with my life, I also think, "what can I do to help people the most?" I look up to Dean Kamen for all the things he's done for the world. I hope I will be there too someday, being able to overlook a program as beautiful as FIRST or to see my inventions out in the world, and see how many people we've changed and touched.
Caio Tenca
Westview Junior - Team Founder, Manager and Mech Group Leader
955 Team member for 2 years

"The Westview Robotics Team. It sounded like nothing but another club that I could put on my resume when applying for college. However, after a short ~7 weeks, it has changed me in many drastic, let still desirable ways.

I had been a little late to join the team, but still did so. When I came that day, the Ms. Tenca (out head mentor/team director) was giving a speech about what FIRST's main teachings were all about. She told us about how FIRST was an organization were we were expected to work for the next six weeks and then go to a competition were we would compete, only on the arena. She told us about how everyone in FIRST was nice, and the general atmosphere was a kind one. I personally was among those new people who thought she was just saying that, and that once we would go there, we would find that the people there would be snotty, and quite frankly; mean.

I worked in the team for the next 6 weeks. I learned a lot about electronics that went into the robot, along with some mechanical things. Also, I learned about teamwork, and that it was possible to make a robot, and be part of a team without being everyone's opponent. I leaned what it meant by taking charge, and what it meant by following it. I learned that even thought life may not always be fair, that is NEVER an excuse.

In the actual competition, I learned what it meant to "leave the fight to the field". I saw people wanting to beat other people, but once the match was over, regardless if u had won or lost, or perhaps not been in the field, you would still clap and wild. In the pit area, I saw people helping other people out, I saw a general environment of friendliness even thought we were all competing against each other.

This year, in the robotics team, I have learned what it means to have fun, but learn. What it means to compete, but still have opposing friends. These are life values that will stay with me forever (I hope!). No matter if my team had lost or won, everyone has won in this competition."
Rohit Saxena
SST Freshman, Electrical Group member

"Being on this team has been an awesome experience for me. When I first joined the robotics team, I hadn't touched a tool before in my life, unless it was to hand one to my dad. I had also never really considered engineering as a career; I didn't see it as exciting enough. With that combination, I really don't know what it was that made me join the robotics team; I think the word "robot" just triggered a response of "cool" in my brain. Whatever it was, I have loved every minute that I've been a member of our team.

I was a part of the mechanical group, and through robotics and a shop class I took at school, I learned how to use almost all of the machines in our shop as well as all of the hand tools. I learned first-hand that engineering isn't boring, and isn't necessarily a desk job either. I was elected co-captain my freshman year and I learned key leadership skills such as how to make sure all group members are included, brainstorming to come up with a solid plan, and being flexible in order to handle multiple problems at once. I made really good friends with people I probably would have never gotten to know if it weren't for robotics.

We had mentors, professionals in different fields of engineering, teaching us all sorts of technical things that we'd need to know for our robot to work the way we wanted it to. That way we got hands-on experience, learning the most from people who know best. I think out of all my extra-curricular activities I've done over the years, robotics is definitely the one that has impacted me the most. I know that the skills that I am building now will help me throughout my entire life, whether I decide to go into engineering or not. Teamwork and cooperation, innovative problem-solving, respecting one another's ideas; these are all skills that are extremely valuable in a real workplace environment. I'm really glad that I have this opportunity, because I know that I'm getting the best out of it."
Anjali Menon
Westview Sophomore - Team Captain, PR Leader, Mechanical Group member

"By being part of Robotics, I learned a lot about what a good team needs to function. I learned that the only way a project can run smoothly is when everyone does their respective jobs, and got to see just how much a group of people can accomplish when we put our minds to something. I got to watch and participate in serious brainstorming sessions, and saw how an idea could be expanded into a working finished product. I also learned practical, everyday things, like how to put together pieces of metal to make sure nothing fell apart in the end. I came away from Robotics with a good sense of how to be successful in a team environment, and far more knowledge of how engineering works."
Jasmine Sears
SST Junior - Rules Expert, Scouting and Mechanical Group member

"I have heard only good reports about this organization and from what I hear that is about all they do. Good so to speak. They help you find areas that you excel in and what you need to improve on and gives you career options for the future. You learn in a safe and friendly environment from professionals that can not only help you with problems on the robot but also anything else that you might need help on."
Brent Pugh
Westview Sophomore - Safety Captain and Mechanical Group member

"Without FIRST to stimulate these future engineers and leaders, I doubt that the mentors would have come forth with their considerable experience to contribute positively to the life courses of these students."
Robert Hendel
Mentor - Manager, Intel