Sarah Fogwell: Nerdy done right.

FIRST is a community that allows for a lifetime of opportunities to become involved. For Sarah Fogwell, her volunteering career started early. As a 7thgrader, Sarah stepped in and found a way to do more than just compete during the FIRST Tech Challenge season. She reached out and had a fellow volunteer teach her “the field control system and set up, and [she] took off from there.”

“My first thoughts about volunteering at a robotics competition were, whoa, I went from competing to now running competitions, how much nerdier can I get?” But that's not how the rest of the world sees Sarah. JoAnn Halloran, FTC Program Manager, describes Sarah as someone who shows "willingness to step out of her comfort zone, to lend a hand, to try new things and to encourage those around her to do the same. She is a remarkable team member, and an even more remarkable volunteer."

When asked to name one of the highlights from her volunteer experience, she recalls her first year at World Championship. “I knew some of the other volunteers from my state and enjoyed working with them but there were A LOT of new faces that I didn’t recognize. I am now great friends with state partners in Iowa, Mississippi, Florida, etc. They could NOT have been any nicer to me as a “first year”er out there and made me feel like I fit in with them. I have now been out to Champs every year since 2010.”

That ease in which FIRSTvolunteers welcome her in is one of the big draws to volunteering for her. She encourages others who might be interested to just start volunteering. “Though you may feel awkward at first, there is no better feeling in the world than walking into a competition after five years and counting and have all teams AND volunteers know your name.”

She sums up FIRST eloquently, stating, “FIRSTis something that can change your life. Whether you want to go into a STEM related career, or writing or even undeclared, there is a spot for you in FIRST. The community is so open and welcoming to everyone and anyone who wants to spend time doing the things they love. I would not give up the time I have had with FIRST and the community for the world."

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