FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
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FIRST® Origins
FIRST was started by inventor Dean Kamen, who saw a culture based solely on athletics and celebrity gossip. Kamen realized that there is more need for people in science and technology careers than there are sports and entertainment. He partnered with Woodie Flowers, an MIT professor, to create FIRST.
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FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC)
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an exciting, international competition that teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way. The program is a life-changing, career-molding experience—and a lot of fun! The competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events, the result of a lot of focused brainstorming, real-world teamwork, dedicated mentoring, project timelines, and deadlines. There is more to FRC than building a robot. It’s a complex exercise in project management, which entails a lot of work that doesn’t require a technical background.
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FIRST® redefines “Winning”
Teams are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrated team spirit, gracious professionalism, maturity, and ability to overcome obstacles. Scoring the most points is a secondary goal. “Winning” means learning, being inspired, and building partnerships that last.
The world's preeminent robotics competition for high school students. The message of FIRST is to inspire young people, their schools, and communities with an appreciation of science and technology. You’ll learn to perform high-quality, well-informed work while learning and competing passionately, but treating one another with respect and kindness in the process – this is called “Gracious Professionalism.” As a member of the FIRST family, you will enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you have acted with integrity and empathy. FIRST is not just about robots; it’s about ideas and people, too.