FIRST

FIRST is a global youth organization that operates a series of robotics competitions and related programs designed to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. Founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, its mission is to transform culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders. The organization's name is an acronym for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology," and it engages students from kindergarten through high school in hands-on, mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, inspire innovation, and foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

History

The organization was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, renowned for inventions like the Segway PT and the iBOT mobility device, with the assistance of Woodie Flowers, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The inaugural competition, then called the FIRST Robotics Competition, was held in 1992 at a high school gym in Manchester, New Hampshire, involving 28 teams. Early support came from notable figures like former Apple Inc. CEO John Sculley and companies such as Baxter International. The program expanded rapidly, with the championship event moving to Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in the mid-1990s. A significant milestone was the founding of the FIRST LEGO League in 1998, a partnership with the LEGO Group, which dramatically increased accessibility for younger students. Over the decades, participation has grown to include hundreds of thousands of students across more than 100 countries, with major sponsors including NASA, Boeing, Google, and the United States Department of Defense.

Organization

Headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire, the organization is governed by a board of directors and led by a president. It operates through a network of regional offices and chapters across the globe, including FIRST Canada and FIRST Scandinavia. Key operational partners include the LEGO Group, which is deeply integrated into several programs, and major corporate sponsors like Rockwell Automation, Qualcomm, and FedEx. The organization relies heavily on a volunteer workforce, including tens of thousands of mentors, coaches, and referees, many of whom are professionals from fields like engineering at companies such as General Motors and Lockheed Martin. Strategic alliances with institutions like the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of New Hampshire support event logistics and program development. Each major program has its own advisory board and operational team to tailor the experience to specific age groups.

Competition

The core of the organization's activities is a suite of tiered competition programs. The flagship event is the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), where high school teams have six weeks to build large, 125-pound robots to play a complex, annual game revealed in a live kickoff, often broadcast from locations like Southern New Hampshire University. For younger students, the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) involves designing and building smaller robots using reusable kits. The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) challenges elementary and middle school students with robot games and research projects based on real-world themes, while FIRST LEGO League Jr. serves the youngest participants. Major championship events are held globally, with the FIRST Championship being a culminating festival held in cities like Houston and Detroit, attracting teams from around the world to compete in tournaments modeled after major sporting events like the Super Bowl.

Robotics

The robotics activities are centered on the design, construction, and programming of robots to complete specific tasks. In FRC, teams use a standard kit of parts provided by the organization, which often includes components from sponsors like AndyMark and NI, and program their robots using languages like LabVIEW or Java. FTC teams utilize platforms like the REV Robotics control system and Android devices. The annual game challenges, which have themes like space travel or recycling, are developed in collaboration with organizations like NASA and The Walt Disney Company. The robots compete on specialized fields designed by the organization's game design committee, which includes engineers from companies like Boeing and John Deere. The emphasis is on innovative design and robust engineering, with awards given for categories like the Chairman's Award and the Engineering Inspiration Award.

Education

The educational philosophy is rooted in experiential learning and Gracious Professionalism, a core tenet coined by Woodie Flowers that emphasizes respect and empathy in competition. Programs are designed to teach not only technical skills in mechanical and electrical engineering but also "soft skills" like project management, public speaking, and teamwork. Many teams are based in schools, but a significant number operate as community-based organizations, often mentored by professionals from institutions like Texas Instruments or National Instruments. The organization provides extensive curriculum resources and partners with entities like Khan Academy and Project Lead The Way to align activities with educational standards. Scholarships are a major component, with hundreds of universities and colleges, including the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Rochester Institute of Technology, offering financial aid to participants, facilitating pathways into STEM fields and careers at companies like SpaceX and Microsoft.

Category:Robotics organizations Category:Educational organizations based in the United States Category:Science and technology in the United States Category:Organizations established in 1989