New Orleans Science and Math History with FIRST    

   Our team’s experience with FIRST started in the fall of 2003. Barbara Pailet, the director of the Bruce J. Heim Foundation approached the principal at the New Orleans Center for Science and Math and asked us to organize a robotics team. The world of FIRST was new to us – coordinating with local universities and businesses, fast approaching deadlines and teaching students to build a robot. Although our school was involved in creative science and technology programs, nothing compared to what we signed up for with FIRST.   

The adults at our school have been surprised by FIRST’s ability to change and mold our students. Of course they have learned technical skills in design, engineering, building, programming and public relations, but they have gained so much more from the experience. Discipline, dedication and teamwork may have been the most valuable lessons for our students. Students have also learned the important lesson of “gracious professionalism,” one of the main goals of FIRST. Our students have not only learned to work together, but also to work with other teams in a spirit of healthy competition. Each season we’re excited to build the best robot we can and do well in competition. But, beyond that, we’re more excited to see new rookie teams competing from our area and happy to lend them a hand (or that important extra part) and help them develop a successful team.