Its funny how things work out really. At first I was skeptical about joining robotics (I think the first meeting I went to was purely accidental). Robotics appealed to me after hearing countless stories of fun my friends had while building robots and such, but I had always been afraid and intimidated by how technical everything seemed. After the first meeting, however, I realized there was nothing to be afraid of. I looked past my closed mentality and decided to give Robotics a try. I started showing up to more meetings and by the time building season came around I was still there, enjoying it. That was in my sophomore year. Now junior year, my hard work and dedication as a rookie allowed me to qualify to attend both Arizona and Southern California regionals for the 2005-2006 season.

Now in my second year as a member of team 812, the fun, enthusiasm,and dedication from me and all my team mates is there. Team 812, the midnight mechanics, are infamous for staying late till the wee hours to build robitcs, but I got a little more than that from them. I gained a variety of different friends from different cultures and different interests who all came together to give what they can For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. I gained knowledge about everything from basic carpenter skills to electronics. I was even able to build confidence in myself. Most importantly I acquired a second family that consisted of great friends, diligent mentors, and exceptional teachers (who wear safety glasses, calculate formulas, and whom I could come to for anything). And that's what makes us different. We are composed of individuals whom you wouldn't expect to be building robots. Its not about being the best and beating all the other teams, really. Its about growth ,opportunity , learning and having fun in every moment that you do it.