FIRST is an acronym for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.”  The FIRST program was begun by Dean Kamen, the inventor of, among other things, the Segway scooter.  Kamen noticed that today’s youth were more enamored with sports and competition than with science.  He created FIRST to combine the lure of competition with the fun and interesting aspects of science involved in designing and building a robot.

Each year, the FIRST season begins just after January 1.  Participating schools receive a starter package including a description of the game in which the robot will compete, various parts for the robot and the specifications for building the robot.  This package changes each year, as the game and specifications are never the same.  Teams from across the United States as well as Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Israel and Brazil have approximately six weeks in which to design, build and assemble their robots before the start of the regional competitions.  The FIRST season then culminates with the Championship Event, held in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more information about FIRST and its other programs, including the FIRST Lego League and the FIRST Tech Challenge, you can visit the FIRST website at www.usfirst.org.