FIRST

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, inventor and entrepreneur, along with Woodie Flowers, an MIT professor, to inspire today's youth to get involved in science and technology. Their mission is "to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership." FIRST's programs include FLL (First Lego League, a competition for mainly middle schoolers with robots made of LEGOs), Jr. FLL (Junior First Lego League, for elementary school competitors), FTC (First Tech Challenge, a high school robotics competition on a smaller scale), and FRC (First Robotics Competition), which our team participates in.

There are two values that truly encompass what FIRST is about: Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition. Gracious Professionalism is to be able to partake in fierce competition whilst being respectful and kind to one's competitors. Coopertition means to cooperate with one's competitors, in order to learn from each other and be successful. FIRST teaches these values to team members, to use during competition as well as throughout their lives.

The first website can be found here