I had a lot of challenges: substance abuse, relationship problems, social skills, no direction in my life. Then I joined a FIRST team. I started learning to use power tools and working with dangerous equipment, so I realized I can’t show up without being sober because I’m just putting myself and others at risk. It really helped me stop abusing substances. This year, as a team captain, I have to help people come to agreements, something I never thought I could do. Now, I want to go to college for mechanical engineering. FIRST really changed my life.