--- title: Celebrating our 2021-2022 FIRST Volunteers of the Year description: FIRST is proud to announce the 2021-2022 FIRST Volunteer of the Year award recipients. image: https://community.firstinspires.org/hubfs/VofY%20Winners%2022-01.jpg --- [![](https://community.firstinspires.org/hubfs/Community%20Blog%20v2/images/first-horz-rgb-vector.svg)](https://community.firstinspires.org) [All *FIRST*® Posts ](https://community.firstinspires.org/all/) [*FIRST*® LEGO® League Blog](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/fll/) [*FIRST*® Tech Challenge Blog](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/ftc/) [*FIRST*® Robotics Competition Blog](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/frc/) [Subscribe **](https://community.firstinspires.org/celebrating-our-2021-2022-first-volunteers-of-the-year#subscribe-form) ** [Volunteers](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/volunteers) # Celebrating our 2021-2022 FIRST Volunteers of the Year ![Default Author Image](https://community.firstinspires.org/hubfs/Community%20Blog%20v2/images/FIRST-author-icon.svg) [by FIRST Staff](https://community.firstinspires.org/author/first) • June 30, 2022 ![](https://community.firstinspires.org/hubfs/VofY%20Winners%2022-01.jpg) Each year, volunteers around the globe go above and beyond to positively impact our *FIRST* students and *FIRST* community. This past season was no exception as we saw our students explore transportation and logistics in the *FIRST* FORWARD season. Our local *FIRST* partners often honor and recognize volunteers in their regions by awarding them with a Volunteer of the Year award. We are extremely grateful and congratulate each of these recipients for their contributions to their region!   In addition to local awards,* FIRST* Headquarters also selects recipients for a* FIRST* Volunteer of the Year Award each year, choosing individuals from each program who have invested significant time and effort in their volunteer role and impacted the whole of* FIRST* in a far-reaching way. They are role models and leaders and we couldn’t do what we do without them. *FIRST* is proud to announce the 2021 – 2022 *FIRST* Volunteer of the Year award recipients.   From *FIRST* Robotics Competition, we would like to recognize Chuck Dickerson. Chuck has made a significant impact to the *FIRST* Robotics Competition program in his nearly two decades of service. He has an unwavering commitment to the team experience, volunteering as a team mentor, event volunteer, or both, for 18 years. Most recently, in 2019, he was asked to take on the role of Co-Chief Lead Robot Inspector. In that role, he brought his ongoing passion for delivering the best possible experience to the teams. Thank you, Chuck, for your commitment to *FIRST* teams and students!   From *FIRST* Tech Challenge, we would like to recognize Jacob Burroughs. Jacob has been rolling strikes as a *FIRST* Tech Challenge volunteer since the “Bowled Over” season in 2010-2011. More recently, he helped elevate *FIRST* Tech Challenge to the cloud with his senior software experience. This year, he focused on inclusion and scaling the *FIRST* Tech Challenge scoring system through language translation, remote features, and the ML-toolchain as an integral part of the development team. Thank you, Jacob, for your valuable contributions to *FIRST* this season!   From *FIRST* Lego League Challenge, we would like to recognize Andrew Snape. Faster than a speeding Event Hub, stronger than rubric results, able to leap emcee duties with a single bound, Andrew has worked diligently behind the scenes to ensure the volunteers have an amazing experience and the teams come first. He brings boundless energy, a can-do attitude and a fantastic sense of humour (with the British "u" to help us not take ourselves too seriously). Andrew has volunteered countless hours in both the US and UK as a global judge advisor, tournament director, emcee, video script writer, Event Hub developer, and more. For the many hours you have given to *FIRST* LEGO League Challenge, thank you Andrew!   From *FIRST* Lego League Challenge, we would like to recognize Abdulmatin Adeniji. Adbulmatin participated as a 15 year old student* FIRST* LEGO League team member in our first season in Nigeria. Three years later, upon enrolment to a Nigerian University to study Mechatronics, he reached out to be a mentor/coach to a school so he "can help them get the same opportunity he was given." In the last 4 years, Abdulmatin has mentored many *FIRST* LEGO League and* FIRST* Tech Challenge teams across Nigeria, juggling this responsibility alongside the rigors of studying. This year, he took charge of training and equipping teachers and students with *FIRST* Tech Challenge knowledge, as well as ran the regional qualifier competition. Thank you, Abdulmatin Adeniji, for being a role model for all *FIRST* students who aim to give back to schools and youths in their communities.   From *FIRST* Lego League Explore, we would like to recognize Dr. Patricia Gouws of South Africa. Dr. Gouws is a passionate and dedicated volunteer of *FIRST* LEGO League. She emphasizes the importance of introducing children to *FIRST* programs beginning with the *FIRST* LEGO League Discover division and then to Explore. Her great work has helped grow the impact of these programs in her region especially in underserved populations. She volunteers because she wants to empower the next generation and help them build the skills necessary to bring positive change to South Africa and beyond. Thank you, Dr. Gouws, for your investment in bringing *FIRST* to all students!   We are extremely grateful to have a fantastic community of *FIRST *Volunteers and appreciate the impact each of them are making on our students. Congratulations again to our Volunteer of the Year recipients for 2021-2022 and we look forward to what we will accomplish next in the upcoming [*FIRST* ENERGIZE](https://info.firstinspires.org/first-energize-season?utm_source=first-inspires&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=fir-registration-023) presented by Qualcomm season!   ** [Volunteers](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/volunteers) #### Share it: [** ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://community.firstinspires.org/celebrating-our-2021-2022-first-volunteers-of-the-year) [** ](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://community.firstinspires.org/celebrating-our-2021-2022-first-volunteers-of-the-year) [** ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://community.firstinspires.org/celebrating-our-2021-2022-first-volunteers-of-the-year) ![Default Author Image](https://community.firstinspires.org/hubfs/Community%20Blog%20v2/images/FIRST-author-icon.svg) Author [FIRST Staff](https://community.firstinspires.org/author/first) These blog posts have been contributed by members of *FIRST* staff. *FIRST* is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Manchester, N.H. ### Related Posts ** [Championship](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/championship) 2025-2026 FIRST Season Revealed: In Case You Missed It April 23, 2025 ** [Championship](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/championship), [FTC](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/ftc), [FLL](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/fll), [FRC](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/frc) Did You Miss This? 2025-2026 Season Teaser Is Here February 28, 2025 ** [FTC](https://community.firstinspires.org/topic/ftc) FIRST Tech Challenge 2024-2025 Season Orders June 20, 2024 [![FIRST Logo](https://community.firstinspires.org/hubfs/Community%20Blog%20v2/images/first-horz-rgb-vector.svg)](https://community.firstinspires.org) - [About](https://www.firstinspires.org/about/vision-and-mission) - [Contact](https://www.firstinspires.org/about/contact-us) - [Privacy](https://www.firstinspires.org/about/privacy-policy) - [Legal](https://www.firstinspires.org/about/legal-notices) - [Donate](https://www.firstinspires.org/donate?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=donation) [Firstinspires.org](https://firstinspires.org/) - [**](https://instagram.com/first_official_/) - [**](https://www.tiktok.com/@first_inspires) - [**](https://www.facebook.com/pages/FIRST-For-Inspiration-and-Recognition-of-Science-and-Technology/184063051616518) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/first_2) - [**](https://www.youtube.com/user/FIRSTWorldTube) © 2026 *FIRST*®. 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