FIRST was founded by Dean Kamen in 1989. FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST engages students through mentor-based programs that inspire students. FIRST aims to motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Dean Kamen best sums up the goal of FIRST by saying “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.”

FRC stands for FIRST Robotics Competition. FRC is a high school competition that is part of FIRST. Each year, in January, a new task is announced. Teams have six weeks to build and test their robots. Teams are given a standard set of parts, with the ability to purchase additional parts. Teams then compete in competitions with the goal of reaching the World Championship in St. Louis.