FOUNDATION FOR INSPIRATION & RECOGNITION SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY I

Working closely with national affiliate FIRST® (http://www.firstinspires.org/), FIRST® in Texas supports FIRST®Robotics teams and events across Texas in six (6) regions, inspiring young people, especially underrepresented young people, to be science and technology leaders.

FIRST® is the only evidence-based robotics STEM education program in America (https://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/first-impact). Ten (10) years of rigorous, scientifically-based evaluation research demonstrate students who participate in FIRST® are:
• 2X more likely to major in science or engineering in college,
• 88-91% are more interested in going to college, and
• 33% of girl end up majoring in engineering.

Students/teams typically meet afterschool with “coaches" and mentors who guide them in fun TEKS-aligned curriculum (https://www.firstinspires.org/taxonomy/term/141) STEM and robotics educational programs:
• FIRST® Lego League Jr. for grades K-4 - captures young curiosity by exploring real-world scientific challenges, learning teamwork, and working with motorized LEGO® elements.
• FIRST® Lego League for grades 4-8 - youth research real-world engineering challenges, develop a solution and compete with LEGO®-based robots of their own design.
• FIRST® Tech Challenge for grades 7-12 - Teams of middle and high school-aged students are challenged to design, build and program a robot to play a floor game against other teams' creations.
• FIRST® Robotics Competition for grades 9-12 - teams compete head to head on a special playing field with robots they have designed, built and programmed.
• In 2015 FIRST® in Texas joined the UIL robotics pilot program.
http://firstintexas.org/aboutus/about-first/

FIRST® in Texas has 288 FIRST®LEGO League Junior teams, 1,243 FIRST®LEGO League teams, 460 FIRST®Tech Challenge teams, and 156 FIRST®Robotics Competition teams (3,900 total youth).

The FIRST® in Texas goal is to substantially strengthen the school-to-career pipeline through which young students are inspired to explore opportunities in science and technology to provide economic stability and sustainability for their future, and to foster the next generation of science, innovation and technology leaders for Texas.

FIRST® in Texas substantially strengthens the school-to-career pipeline by inspiring young students to explore opportunities in science and technology, as a pathway to economic stability and sustainability for their future - fostering the next generation of science, innovation and technology leaders for Texas. To achieve this, FIRST® in Texas:
• Promotes the spirit of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship,
• Helps today's youth acquire the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the technologically-driven global economy,
• Fosters well-rounded life capabilities: respect, communication, leadership, integrity, sportsmanship, team-work, responsibility, self-confidence and self-esteem,
• Encourages students (ages 6-18) to pursue advanced studies in engineering and technology at the college, graduate and post-graduate levels leading to careers in related technical fields, and
• Nurtures Gracious Professionalism™ and Coopertition™ - FIRST®'s core values encouraging participants to do their best work while working together to achieve a common goal (https://www.firstinspires.org/about/vision-and-mission)

The FIRST® program and competition structure are uniquely suited to fill these objectives by:
• Engaging youth in exciting team-based, mentor-based programs that build STEM skills both during the academic school year as well as during the off season,
• Providing students with outside volunteer professional and industry mentors, coaches and role models,
• Generating the excitement, recognition, and structure that goes with youth sport activities,
• Providing recognition for teams achievement with an awards program, of which the most prestigious is for achievement far beyond winning the annual team games,
• Designing games that encourage Gracious Professionalism™ via Coopertition™ - among FIRST® teams,
• Embracing a broad diversity in FIRST® participants by encouraging students who are minorities, females, and/or the underserved to become involved, and
• Including community, school and family in the recognition and celebration of FIRST® Region students'/youths' STEM achievements.

According to FIRST founder Dean Kamen, "FIRST is the only sport where every kid can turn pro."

Being a part of FIRST® is about more than just building a robot. It is a hands-on, mentor-based program by design that allows for a safe environment to explore engineering, design, fabrication, programming (technical), as well as the business side of developing a start-up (business models/plans, marketing plans, presentations, communication, outreach) - the soft skills. It is solving a real-world problem with too little time, too little money and too little resources – just like real life!

FIRST® in Texas has been at the apex of robotics education and competitions since its creation, and we have successfully planned and executed programming and competitions for the past ten years. Furthermore, FIRST® in Texas is an evidence-based program that is highly recognized and highly regarded in the industry of STEM and robotics education. FIRST in Texas is recognized by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) as an education program and students can letter in FIRST robotics. Furthermore, as previously mentioned, FIRST® in Texas competitions serve as official qualifiers for UIL competitions. Robotics team's performance in those qualifiers determine advancement to the UIL State Championships.

There are other robotics programs, but none have the infrastructure and recognition of FIRST®, and none but FIRST® are evidence-based. The science behind FIRST is worth noting. FIRST contracted with the Center for Youth and Communities at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management in 2011 to conduct a multi-year longitudinal study of FIRST’s middle and high school programs. The goal of the study, building on more than a decade of short-term evaluation studies by Brandeis University and others, was to document the longer-term impacts of FIRST’s programs on participating youth and to do so through a design that met the standards for rigorous, scientifically-based evaluation research. Key findings were related to increased interest in STEM-related study – especially for girls, minorities and low-SES; increased gains with more than one-year engagement with FIRST; and greater interest in majoring in STEM topics in college.

The updated study results at 60 months demonstrate significant gains in STEM and 21st Century skills by students when compared with non-participating peers, may be viewed here, https://www.firstinspires.org/sites/default/files/uploads/resource_library/impact/first-longitudinal-study-60-months.pdf

Another unique aspect of FIRST in Texas is its alumni program. Students involved with FIRST in Texas tend to stay involved because of the many benefits offered, like access to scholarships and the professional and social connections.

FIRST® (national affiliate) was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen.  FIRST® in Texas' was founded in 2010. As a grant recipient of TWC since our founding in 2010, and with the addition of corporate grants over the years, FIRST in Texas has supported underfunded new and existing FIRST teams with more than $7 million. Over the past 9 years, FIRST in Texas has collaborated with Texas high schools and organizers to help develop and support 850 new FIRST teams and support 1,472 existing FIRST teams in Texas with Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) funds, directly supporting over 45,000 students.

In 2019-2020, TWC funds supported 20 new FIRST Robotics Competition teams ($100,000 total in awarded funds), 150 new FIRST Tech Challenge teams ($198,250 total in awarded funds), 100 existing FIRST Robotics Competition teams ($100,000 total in awarded funds), and 200 existing FIRST Tech Challenge teams ($105,000 total in awarded funds). The awarded funds were used to cover teams’ national and local registration fees and to purchase approved equipment and materials from approved vendors,In total, 6,332 students participating in FIRST in Texas were supported through funding from the TWC. Of students supported through TWC funds:
• 44 were homeschool participants,
• Over 33% were girls, and
• 163 students attended school on a military base.
• Over 55% of those students attend Title 1 schools,
• 55% qualified for free or reduced lunch,
• 74% were students of color (51% Hispanic, 6% Black, 16% Asian, <1% Native American), and
• 6% were students with one more disabilities.

In 2019-2020, FIRST in Texas also supported an additional 254 teams with over $100,000 in funds from Dell, Qualcomm, ARM, and others.


During the 2019-2020 season, FIRST in Texas has served over 36,174 students and 22,000 mentors, coaches and volunteers participating in 3,297 teams in nearly 250 Texas school districts/charter schools and hundreds of community organizations and groups, private schools, and home school groups in in seven (7) FIRST in Texas Areas:


Alamo Area: 581 teams, 6292 students
Central Area: 361 teams, 3858 students
East Area: 787 teams, 8420 students
North Area: 913 teams, 9829 students
Panhandle Area: 153 teams, 2027 students
South Area: 411 teams, 4701 students
West Area: 98 teams, 1133 students

FIRST® in Texas is proud to have the support of leading technology and governmental organizations in Texas (NASA, Dell, Phillips 66, Flowserve, National Instruments, Bechtel, Applied Materials, Toyota, Lockheed Martin, Texas Workforce Commission & more). Our partners have a vested interest in making inspirational STEM programming more accessible to Texas students because they know how influential hands-on learning experiences are when it comes time for students to make college and career decisions.