FIRST Forward

The concept of "pay it forward" has a long history. Originally from Dyksolos, an ancient Greek play, it was rediscovered and described in many works throughout the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Finally the phrase became popularized by the 2000 film of the same name. The concept is simple, that a good fortune, should be repaid by being shared on to others. FIRST Team 1885 has been extremely fortunate in the seven years of its existance, having won many awards, and changed many lives of students in Northern Virginia. With this fortune it was only appropriate for the team to do something to pay it forward to other areas of the country and the world. From that thought was born the FIRST Forward program within ILITE Robotics. This program involves the spreading of best practices with other teams in our area and beyond. Team 1885 has shared numerous materials with schools in Russia, presenting how to start a FIRST team and how to get off to a good start, securing sponsors and mentors. ILITE hosts regular events at our school, inviting local teams in Northern Virginia to discuss season strategies, and share our good fortune with those around us. One of the most successful aspects of the FIRST Forward concept has been the training of numerous rookie FRC teams in Washington, DC. These schools suffer from low-income demographics, and a limited access to mentorship. ILITE has hosted seminars in the fall of each year to train the teachers on these teams to be able to convey the concepts needed to build a successful robot, and even go through the logistics of registering and going to competition. All we ask in return is that the fortune of FIRST will continue to be spread by those teams we help.