FIRST in Alaska

Mission The mission of FIRST® is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, 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. Vision "To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders." Dean Kamen, Founder

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) provides project-based, hands-on challenges to introduce students to coding, programming, and engineering in an inclusive, creative, and hopeful environment where students work collaboratively to solve a yearly robotics challenge. FIRST offers a progression of programs, ranging from FIRST Lego League Jr., where 6-9 year olds build Lego models with programmed, moving parts, to FIRST Robotics Competition, where teenagers build and program a complex 100-pound robot. In addition to the technical side of robotics, students on FIRST teams are taught a set of core values including leadership, Gracious Professionalism, collaboration, and inclusivity. Teams are encouraged to conduct community outreach, inspire younger youth, implement business practices to form and run their teams, and design and prototype innovative solutions to real-world challenges. FIRST is about more than just robots, it’s about developing youth into tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.