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About FIRST

FIRST inspires young people to become science and technology leaders through mentor-based robotics programs.

What is FIRST?

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 by inventors Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers. Their mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators.

FIRST organizes robotics competitions and programs that engage students from kindergarten through high school. Participants design and build robots, develop business plans, and learn about STEM careers — all while embodying core values like teamwork, gracious professionalism, and inclusion.

Today, FIRST reaches over 660,000 students in more than 100 countries worldwide.

FIRST
For Inspiration and Recognition
of Science and Technology

Founded 1989 · Dean Kamen & Woodie Flowers
660,000+ students worldwide
100+ countries

What Does FIRST Stand For?

F
For
Everything we do is for students and their future.
I
Inspiration
Sparking curiosity and passion for science and technology.
R
Recognition
Celebrating achievement in STEM just like in sports.
ST
Science & Technology
Building real skills that last a lifetime.

FIRST Programs

FIRST offers programs for all ages — from early exploration to advanced engineering challenges.

Ages 4–8

FIRST LEGO League Jr.

Young children explore STEM through simple LEGO-based projects focused on discovery and teamwork.

Ages 9–16

FIRST LEGO League

Students build and program LEGO robots to solve real-world challenges while developing research projects.

We Are Here · Ages 12–18

FIRST Tech Challenge ✦

Teams design, build, and program robots to compete in an alliance-based format using real engineering tools and Java — that's us, Team #31844!

Ages 14–18

FIRST Robotics Competition

High school students build large-scale robots in just 6 weeks to compete in high-energy arena matches with professional-grade hardware.

Ready to Learn More?

Visit the official FIRST website to explore programs, find events, and discover how to get involved.

Visit FIRST Website ↗