StudentsFIRST - Improving FIRST

My name is Robin Lee. I am a high school student and the founder and president of StudentsFIRST.

We are not affiliated with FIRST.

We are a group of students committed to improving FIRST by advocating for positive change and giving the community a forum to share and discuss ideas. We seek to improve FIRST by harnessing the community's insights and turn them into concrete proposals.

Our long term goal is to address the growing cynicism that is a natural consequence of a competitive system where mentor built robots masquerade as student built robots and many participants are required to pretend they don't know this is going on. We don't believe this is the intent of gracious professionalism or coopertition, both ideals we hold dear and we hope will never become meaningless platitudes.

I hope you'll consider joining us. Anyone who advocates for change has a hard road ahead of them. It's easy for organizations to look at reformers and see an enemy and the instinct to crush or banish dissenters is a powerful one. Purging a voice you disagree with is often easier and less frightening than change.

We believe in thoughtful reform rooted in cooperation and empathy. Your donation will help us approach FIRST bearing flowers and olive branches.

We need your help and if you want to join us, you're in. Check out our webpage at www.studentsFIRST.tech.

Thank you.