FIRST, an acronym standing for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology”, was founded in 1989 by the renowned inventor Dean Kamen. FIRST aims to inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
FIRST Robotics Competition (or FRC) is FIRST’s high school level robotics competition, designs a new challenge every year that students must design a robot to compete in with the assistance of professional mentors. The hands-on learning experiences students have available to them through their participation in FRC provides them with important career skills. Not only does FRC provide vital career skills but it is also a lot of fun, which has been a major factor in the program’s rapid growth. FRC currently has over 91,000 students and 25,000 mentors on over 3,790 teams from 27 countries that compete at over 168 District and Regional Events, culminating with the World Championship Events in Houston, Texas, and Detroit, Michigan.
FRC teaches students about more than just robots, however. The organization fosters skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and sportsmanship, which are applicable to any career students choose to pursue. FRC also has over eighty million dollars available to participants to help them further pursue their education.
To learn more about FIRST, visit the https://www.firstinspires.org.
To learn more about FIRST Robotics Competition or to see this year’s FRC game, visit https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc.