Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. We call FIRST Robotics Competition the ultimate Sport for the Mind. High-school student participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.”
Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team. Each season ends with an exciting FIRST Championship.
FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a non-profit, international organization founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, an inventor and entrepreneur who invented the Segway.
Its goal is to inspire and educate young people in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (also known as STEM) through a mentor-based teaching system.
“To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.” -Dean Kamen, Founder