Unit 1: Intro
Welcome to Your Journey!
A year in the making, a lifetime of passion
This course has been something I have spent a year working on and several thinking of. In order to explain a bit about this course, it helps to explain my FIRST background.
Important Note
This course is a personal project created by me, an individual mentor. While I currently mentor FRC Team 2910 and have mentored other teams in the past, this course is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or created in any official capacity by Team 2910 or any other FIRST team.
The views, methods, and content presented here are my own, based on my personal experiences and learning throughout my years in FIRST. Teams and mentors should adapt any content to fit their specific needs and circumstances.
My History with FIRST
FIRST has been my family since 2009. From that fall forward, I've been volunteering almost every weekend there have been events, playing key roles in both FTC and FRC competitions. This commitment has spanned over 15 years of continuous service to the FIRST community.
2009
I first got involved in FRC through a teacher convincing me to help start a team my sophomore year. That's how I became the lead for FRC 2906.
Fall 2009
Started volunteering with FIRST and haven't stopped since. I've been volunteering almost every weekend there have been events, playing key roles in both FTC and FRC.
2009-2011
For the remaining 3 years of high school, the robotics team was my lifeline. We didn't have mentors beyond our teacher, and definitely no programming mentors.
2015
I mentored for a year, and it was horrid. I didn't know programming and had no mentor support. I thought I'd never mentor again, but continued my weekend volunteering commitment.
2017-2022
Found my perfect team fit with FRC 4911. The mentors were my family. I learned FRC programming by being around when programming mentors taught students. Started my CS degree and began volunteering as a CSA, adding to my weekend volunteer roles.
2022
Due to unethical school policies, I left 4911. 💔 It broke my heart. But I knew I couldn't step away from mentoring's impact.
Summer 2022
Filed paperwork to mentor FRC 2910. Got to sit with them during their Einstein run!
2022-Present
Programming mentor for 2910. In 3 years, learned so much about what works when helping students learn FRC coding. Part of a wonderful team of mentors working with remarkable, incredible students.
"
After 15+ years of volunteering nearly every weekend and seeing thousands of students, there is genuinely nothing like a student growing in confidence as they learn to do challenging things.
This Course
For years, the programming mentors of 2910 discussed making an intro to programming curriculum for our new students. This course is almost identical to that one. Our mentors have always wanted to give back to the community in this way. Finally, I made it happen.
I cannot express how excited I am to finally have this completed and hopefully help other teams who might not have programming mentors (or potential mentors learning about FRC coding).
What This Course Means
Built on 15+ years of FIRST experience, countless weekends volunteering, and a deep understanding of what teams need
🎯
For Teams Without Mentors
Finally, accessible programming education for teams who need it most
🌱
For New Programmers
A structured path from zero to robot programming hero
💪
For Future Mentors
Learn alongside your students and become the mentor they need
🤝
For Our Community
Strengthening FIRST by sharing knowledge and experience
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
From someone who's been volunteering every weekend for 15+ years, to someone who believes in where you're going.
Let's learn, build, and inspire together.