What is first?
THE FIRST PROGRAM
“To create a world where science and technology are celebrated where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes”
FIRST is an acronym that stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST organizes competitions for teams who design, prototype, and build a robot to do a specific task. FIRST was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen. The organization which is based in Manchester, New Hampshire, has been an inspiration to thousands of students around the world. FIRST is supported by a network of corporations, educational and professional institutions, and individuals. Over 85,000 volunteers make FIRST happen. Overall FIRST reaches over 400,000 students; 5,390 teams; 25,326 mentors; 6,600 other volunteers.
THE FIRST MISSION
FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs that build not only science and technology skills and interests, but also self-confidence, leadership, and life skills.