"I had a feeling that FIRST^® was the place where I belonged, and that feeling has never disappeared."

Before I participated in FIRST, I never saw myself with a career, many friends, or as a leader. I was always very lonely and shy. During a presentation at my high school about FIRST^® Robotics Competition, I had a feeling that FIRST was the place where I belonged, and that feeling has never disappeared. Since the first moment I entered my team's workshop, I’ve discovered many abilities that I never noticed before. I originally joined the team to be part of the programming division, but through time, I became involved in things like community outreach, safety, electronics, fundraising, and more. I’ve also gained many friends, and I see them like my second family ‒ they have always supported me and helped me progress as a person. Today, I'm one of the safety captains of my team, a role that I never imagined that I would have, and I do things that surprise me every day. I have never regretted joining my team, and I hope that in the future I will become a mentor and pursue a career in systems engineering.

Note: Eduardo wrote this story as a FIRST participant. He is now a proud FIRST alum.