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FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology) is a multinational non-profit organization, that
aspires to transform culture, making science, math,
engineering, and technology as cool for kids as sports are
today.
FIRST was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, inventor of the
Segway Human Transporter. FIRST operates the
FIRST Robotics Competition in which teams of high school
students, sponsored and assisted by local companies and
volunteers, design, assemble, and test a robot capable of
performing a specified task in competition with other teams.
FIRST also runs the
FIRST LEGO League, for children 9-14 years old, and
FIRST Place, an innovative science and technology
center, including a hands-on children's science museum.
FIRST was founded on partnerships with businesses,
educational institutions and government. Many Fortune 500
companies provide funding, in-kind donations and volunteers
to
support the program.
The key to FIRST's success is the work of over 14,000
volunteer mentors, professional engineers, teachers, and
other adults working with youth across the country. In
addition to the thousands of volunteer team mentors, FIRST
competitions and other events were organized and staffed by
over 5000 event and committee volunteers. Through these
volunteers, FIRST programs engaged over 50,000 youth during
the last year. FIRST programs are growing rapidly in the
United States and Canada, and demand is accelerating in
other countries.
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