A global robotics community preparing young people for the future
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an international not-for-profit program that promotes STEM education to students aged 4 to 18.
In collaboration with mentors, coaches and volunteers, the FIRST program sparks a passion for STEM in young people through a progression of team-based robotics challenges. The aim is that participants of all ages develop real-world skills, confidence and resilience to:
learn important life skills
succeed in the competitive workforce of tomorrow.
Students work collaboratively to solve themed robotics challenges
FIRST has its origins in the United States, where it was founded by inventor Dean Kamen in the late 1980s. The FIRST program is more than robots, with the robots acting as a vehicle for students to learn important life skills:
"Kids often come in not knowing what to expect; of the program nor of themselves. They leave, even after the first season, with a vision, with confidence, and with a sense that they can create their own future."
Dean Kamen, Founder