Duluth City Councilor Emily Larson has attended the FIRST regional in Duluth every year since 2011, the first year it was held. So has James Riehl, dean of engineering at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Both returned again this year as speakers during Friday's Northern Lights Regional and Lake Superior Regional opening ceremony.
"I love this event because it's giving young people who are super passionate about something a venue to build, create, and challenge," said Larson, who owns a nonprofit consulting firm focused on economic development. "(FIRST) does a great job helping people to practice teamwork, build problem solving skills, and explore what they're excited about."
The At-Large Councilor said she and her husband do their best to expose their two sons, Gabe, 12 and Eli, 9, to STEM -- science, technology, engineering and math -- especially by bringing them to FIRST events. She says the boys are very excited about FIRST and would like to participate when they get older.
"We're hooked. We love it." Larson said. "It's less about who's going to win, and more about how can we do something really really awesome together."
ADVERTISEMENT
Larson and her husband, who co-owns the Wagner-Zaun architectural firm, plan to attend the event on Saturday with their sons.
Riehl also says he understands the effect FIRST has on students.
"We need artists, we need businessmen, we need thinkers and philosophers," he said, "but I think that much of the progress we need to make as a country is going to come from people who understand the fundamentals of how things work, how to innovate, how to make new products.
"So unless we can develop a consistent number of young people who decide to make this their career and feeling good about it and successful we are going to struggle as a country."
Nick Studenski is a member of Eagan's Blue Twilight team.
