I'm a FIRST Alum turned inner-city high school English teacher.

Profile:

• Overcame gang influence and a challenging background to become a FIRST Robotics Competition team leader, UC Berkeley grad, and high school English teacher.

• Played a vital role in helping his team overcome challenges, work hard, and find solutions themselves.

• Returned to his childhood neighborhood to teach children from low-income families and introduce them to all the opportunities FIRST offers.

“It still astounds me the person who I have become. Before joining robotics, the only reflection I saw from others was a dead end to prison. Fortunately, teachers and organizations like FIRST and NASA looked beyond my police record. Now, as an educator, I continue in their vision of trying to transform our society into something better.”