FIRST®, abbreviated from “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” was founded in 1989 in New Hampshire by Dean Kamen. The FIRST® Robotics Competition, shortened to FRC, is a program in which teams of high schoolers are given six weeks to design, build, and program a robot to play in an annual FIRST® game. The students are responsible for all aspects of their robot's construction and strategy, as well as team fundraising. FRC is a competitive sport, an educational opportunity, a life experience, and lots of fun.

 

Thousands of volunteers and over 2000 teams worldwide participate in FRC.

 

Students who participate in FIRST® are significantly more likely to major in engineering, science, and technology. They are also more likely to earn a post-graduate degree and to volunteer in their communities. There is even a FIRST® scholarship program.