What’s FIRST all about?

FIRST provides a sport where students can play with the pros and learn from them.

Designing and building a robot is fascinating real-world professional experience. The program has a proven positive impact on student interest in engineering.

Since 1989, FIRST has grown from 28 teams to 1,680 today.
Fully 87% of high schools and their mentors have stayed involved in FIRST year after year.

Students learn the value of teamwork, self-starting, character, and time management.

Participation has a broad positive impact beyond the team itself.

More than 12,000 corporations participate by volunteering engineers and mentors.
In 2009, FIRST provided over $9 million in scholarships for students who want to take their experience to the next level.

FIRST also offers other programs: FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST Lego League, FIRST Junior Lego League. These programs reach kids from early elementary on through high school.

More information can be obtained online at usfirst.org.