FIRST Robotics

Hello, CR4! It's moorec74 here. I'm about to enter my senior year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), where I am dual majoring in Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering. Although I've found this choice of university and course of study to be a perfect fit, it wasn't exactly what I had planned for myself. First, there was NASA.

Reaching for the Stars

As a child, I fell in love with space and everything to do with it. I studied math and science especially hard, and aspired to be an astronaut. I even dragged my parents to the NASA center in Cape Canaveral several times every year. There were also trips to Huntsville, Houston, and research centers across the country.

I even had my own NASA jacket! When I was a teenager, I was often mistaken as an employee by other tourists; I always played along and answered their questions. I had been there enough times that I knew where everything was, when scheduled launches and landings were to occur, and most anything else they were curious about.

"Houston, we have a problem!"

Then I hit high school and reality struck. To be an astronaut, I would have to live in a very confined space, eat dehydrated food, and risk being burned to a crisp if something went wrong during re-entry. For me, the cons outweighed the pros. So I began searching for an alternative career choice. But I was never a huge fan of reading or writing, and I couldn't find anything else that would satisfy my passion for math and science along with my love of space.

My FIRST Realization

Fortunately, I happened to take a class called "Principles of Engineering" with a very special teacher in high school. He encouraged me to join the FIRST robotics team, which I did - although very hesitantly. Boy, did I underestimate the potential of nerds with power tools. I was hooked the day I joined!

Working alongside professional engineers and mentors, FIRST teams of high school students design and build a robot in just six weeks. These teams compete in a graciously professional environment with other teams from all over the world.

As a student on the team at Shenendehowa (New York), I had the opportunity to see a practical engineering problem through from start to finish. The FIRST program allowed me to apply what I had learned in the classroom to real-life situations. Most importantly, it allowed me to fail a few times so I could learn from my mistakes. I had the support and encouragement of mentors to guide me through the hard work.

Today, I can say that without this very special teacher and the FIRST robotics program, I have no idea where I would be or what I would be studying. FIRST opened my eyes the world of engineering.

From Student to Mentor

After graduating from high school, I moved to the ranks of the mentors. It is now my responsibility to help guide high schoolers through the difficult challenges presented to them. Once enrolled at RPI, I figured I had no more to learn from a high school robotics team. But as I teach these students, they are teaching me even more valuable lessons. Knowing that they have such bright futures ahead of them because of their time on the team makes all those late nights and long hours worth it.

I also volunteer with after-school robotics programs for elementary and middle school students. The sooner we can get kids' attention and draw them into science and technology, the better. FIRST not only has the high school competition, but programs for all ages. There's Lego League for the elementary school kids, Junior Lego League for those even younger, and Vex for middle school students.

Get Involved!

My personal experience with FIRST is why I am such a proponent of the organization. It changed my life, and I hope that I can give just a little of what I took from it back to the students who are involved now.

Engineer or not, your help will be valued - we need other support, too! The business and travel aspects of the team always require a lot of planning. No matter where you are, there is a team that could use your expertise! FIRST now stretches all over the world. Visit usfirst.org for more information, or feel free to ask me questions by leaving a comment below.