What is FIRST?

What is FIRST?|FIRST History|Dean's Homework

FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. It is an organization that encourages students to take a part in the ever changing environment of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. FIRST was founded by Dean Kamen, inventor of the “Segway”, in 1989. Students who participate in the numerous programs organized by FIRST gain knowledge and experience that is nearly impossible to be learned while in school. FIRST has three major programs, FIRST Lego League (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).

	“The varsity sport for the mind,” FRC combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams of 25 students or more are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks against a field of 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.
	FTC is designed for those who want to compete head-to-head, using a sports model. Teams of up to 10 students are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year and is programmed using a variety of languages. Teams, including coaches, mentors and volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as for well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.
	The best way to summarize FIRST LEGO League is to say that it is a robotics program for 9 to 14 in the United States and Canada (9 to 16 in other countries), which is designed to get children excited about science and technology -- and teach them valuable employment and life skills. FLL can be used in a classroom setting but is not solely designed for this purpose. Teams, comprised of up to ten children with at least one adult coach, can also be associated with a pre-existing club or organization, homeschooled, or just be a group of friends who wish to do something awesome.