About FIRST

What is FIRST?

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

FIRST has four competitions it hosts each year to promote their vision: FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST LEGO League (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), and Junior FIRST LEGO League (JFLL).

Mission:

“Our 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.” – USFIRST.org

FIRST Core Values

We express the FIRST philosophies of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition through our Core Values:

Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.
Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!

Gracious Professionalism

Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST Distinguished Advisor and Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, coined the term "Gracious Professionalism®."

Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.

With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process.

Mentors

Our mentors are a key to the success of FIRST Robotics and our team. Mentors go above and beyond to help ensure that we learn and have fun while on the team.

For more information about our mentors check out the Mentor page.

Volunteers

FIRST has a strong volunteer workforce of 90,000+ people that help make FIRST happen. We appreciate all their hard work and dedication that keeps FIRST running.