What is FIRST?

     FIRST® originated in 1989, initiating as a small organization in a New Hampshire high school gym. Their unchanging prime directive has been to design and execute accessible, innovative programs that assist in the development of young people into successful adults while providing a motivation to pursue opportunities in the areas of science, math, technology and engineering.
     Among the programs instituted by FIRST® is the FIRST® Robotics Competition. This program challenges teams of students and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe, utilizing a granted standard “kit of parts” and an array of regulations that impartially apply to each team. In the course of this six-week period, teams build robots that are designed to perform the necessary tasks and are entered in a series of competitions. Ultimately, this program encourages and implements the essential virtues of gracious professionalism, dedication and teamwork while educating students in the areas of science, math, technology and engineering and preparing them for the future.

Our Perspectives
"FIRST is a valuable program in providing students with hands-on engineering experience."
"I like the effect it has on the community, how it changes people for the better."
"FIRST brings together various cultural backgrounds and unites them with a common goal; something I greatly respect."