How FIRST has impacted my life!

I want to start off by telling you my name; my name is Lindsay.  I am a three year member of The Flying Platypi, and I am currently the President of Team 2655. 

I’m not the typical student of FIRST; I haven’t been involved since I was in elementary school.  I got involved in FIRST when I was a freshman in high school.  My older brother had been on the team for three years and my dad was the coach.  They both said I should come and see what they were doing.  I had already seen some of what had been going on because when the team first started off they worked out of my family’s garage.  I remember them building the robot in the middle of my kitchen floor and I was curious about what they were doing.  When my dad started talking to me about it; I decided to go to one meeting just to see what it was like.  At that first meeting, I knew I was hooked, and I have been dedicated to the FIRST mission ever since. 

In my freshman year when I first joined the Flying Platypi I had no idea what I was doing, but I jumped in feet first.  As a freshman I was appointed to be secretary, and I also jumped into the team’s outreach through the marketing department.  I was also one of the three girls who created the Platypi costume that puts smiles on many people’s faces.  As a sophomore, I continued to grow in what I was learning.  I became the head of the marketing department and was the team’s safety captain.    During the summer I learned website coding from a graduating alumnus, branched out into electrical and mechanical, and was nominated as President.  I've worked with the team's marketing, safety and awards departments as well as being involved in team leadership. I helped wire the electrical on the robot we use for demonstrations, helped write multiple award essays, and have organized many outreach events.  

FIRST has impacted my life by giving me the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself.  It has let me touch the lives of so many people whether they realize it or not and in turn has touched my life.  It inspired me to reach out to younger girls and get them involved.  For my Girl Scout Gold award, I started an all-girl FIRST Lego League (FLL) team.  My whole reason for starting an all-girl FLL team was to get more girls involved in FIRST, so that they might have the chances I have been given through the program.  

FIRST has also solidified my passion for science.  I am certain that when I graduate high school; I want to go onto college and major in Biology with a focus in genetics.  I have always wanted to help people and feel that I can do something I am passionate about and help people at the same time.  When I get out of college I want to do research and hopefully find a cure for breast cancer, sickle cell anemia, or just help one person.  FIRST has solidified my passion for helping people by the way the program helps get students involved in something that will truly better their futures.  

Before I got involved in FIRST, I hadn’t truly found myself.  FIRST has helped me figure out who I truly am, and has helped me open up with others.  It has made me sure about what I want to do with my future and all the people I want by my side along the way.  FIRST has helped me meet many people who are going to be my friends for life.  It has helped me realize what my purpose in life truly is; to help people.  It has given me the confidence I have needed to do this and more.  FIRST truly is an amazing program that can change anyone’s life that is willing to try.  I may not have been involved in the program for as long as some, but I have a firm belief in the program that has pushed me to spread it to as many people as possible.  I hope that one other person will be influenced by FIRST like I have because it has truly has changed my life.  I don’t know where I would be without FIRST.

-Lindsay