Another FTC Success Story

This story is another among many wonderful FTC stories - and we're looking for even more!

Submit yours to stories@usfirst.org. They'll be kept as confidential as you like with names and team numbers used or not based on your preference. Feel free to share as much detail as you'd like - your privacy will be protected if you'd like to remain anonymous.

This was submitted by Brenda Semmelrock in Connecticut:

Before I became involved with FIRST FTC, a new student joined our sophomore class from a large, nearby high school where she was an FRC member and loved it. When she enrolled in our school, we were not involved with FIRST.

Cassie Scully did everything she needed to do to convince our Head Master and faculty members that we needed to be involved with FIRST. That first year, Cassie, along with a couple of other students and a couple of faculty members, drove every afternoon after school to participate with the FRC team mentioned above. It made for a long day for everyone. Cassie was determined to bring FIRST to our school and she did.

An FTC team was formed. Cassie asked me to become assistant coach as I had expressed an interest in the FRC robot that she displayed here at our school. Cassie taught all of us about FIRST as the captain of the team.

FIRST inspired her to the point that nothing would stop her from forming a team at a school that knew nothing about FIRST. She inspired others to become involved, including me. This will be our third year as the CT FTC Affiliate Partner, thanks again to Cassie.

Cassie has since graduated and is a student at the Florida Institute for Technology, with an engineering major. She did return to help us out with our CT tournament. FIRST inspired Cassie to inspire others and she has left her mark at our school.
Our FTC team has since grown in numbers and we are hoping to inspire others as AP to become involved with FIRST.