What’s FIRST ?

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FIRST is…®

…the No. 1 youth-serving non-profit advancing STEM education

outcomes and the development of 21st century skills.

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FIRST is…

…a transformative movement.
• Bridging the STEM skills gap
– The only sport where every kid can “go pro”
– Increasing STEM competence and confidence in
young people while creating career opportunities and
innovation in the fastest-growing fields

• More Than Robots

SM

– Inspiring young people to develop a lifelong love of

learning in an ever-changing workforce and society
– Equipping students with real-world skills, including
digital literacy, teamwork, leadership, creative
problem solving, and time/project management

• Building the people who will change the world –

today and tomorrow
– Helping students channel their raw curiosity, think
critically, and seek ways to improve the world around
them

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 FIRST is…

...growing our global reach.

2018-2019 Numbers at a Glance

570K+ 300K 20M+

students in mentor, coach, judge, volunteer hours
100+ countries and volunteer roles served

$80M+ 3,600 77K

scholarship opportunities events in participants at annual
from nearly 200 providers 100+ countries FIRST Championship

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2019 Season Theme

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 FIRST Progression of Programs

Ages 6-10 Ages 9-14 Ages 12-18 Ages 14-18

Teams of up to 6 young Teams of up to 10 Teams of up to 15 students Teams of ~25 students
children build interest children build LEGO®- develop strategy, design compete in this varsity
in science with a based robots and develop and build sophisticated Sport for the Mind,™
real-world challenge research projects based robots using a modular combining the excitement
solved by guided on a kit-of-parts, then compete of sports with the rigors
research and real-world scientific head to head. of science and
imagination. challenge. technology.

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Teams of up to 6 kids build
interest in science with a real-
world scientific challenge
solved by guided research
and imagination.

2018-2019 Season
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• Introduction to science and technology
• Build a Challenge-related model that moves
using LEGO ® Education WeDo 2.0 technology
• Create a Show Me poster and practice
presentation skills
• Explore challenges facing today’s scientists
• Discover real-world math and science
• Engage in team activities guided by
FIRST Core Values
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 2018-2019 Season
25,000
Team Growth
21,718

20,000

16,537
• 21,718 teams
15,000
• 130,000+ children, ages 6-10 (Grades
10,655 K-4)
10,000

• Up to 6 students per team

8,031

5,653
5,000
2,147
2,985 3,347
4,000
• 450+ local Expos,
125 327 702 1,004 1,203
1,448
World Festival Expo
0

• 74 countries

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 Teams of up to 10 kids build
®
LEGO – based robots and develop
research projects based on real-
world scientific challenges.

*Ages vary by country 2018-2019 Season

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• Create innovative solutions to challenges facing
today’s scientists
• Strategize, design, build, program and test an
autonomous robot using Challenge-related model
using LEGO ® MINDSTORMS ® technology
• Apply real-world math and science concepts
• Develop career and life skills
• Become involved in their local and global
community

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 Team Growth 2018-2019 Season
40,000

35,140
35,033
35,000
31,079

30,000
29,034

26,044
•35,140 teams
25,000 23,748

20,430
•281,000+ students, ages 9-16*
20,000
16,762 (Grades 4-8)
•Average 8 students per team
13,705
15,000

10,000

5,859
8,847
•1,295 Qualifying Tournaments,
5,000
1,540
3,001
166 Championship Tournaments,
7 Open Invitational/International
200
0

Events, World Festival

 U.S. & Canada
 Outside U.S. & Canada •103 countries
*Ages vary by country

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Teams of 10 (avg.) or more
students develop strategy, design
and build sophisticated robots
using a modular kit-of-parts, then
compete head to head.

2018-2019 Season
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• Head-to-head competition using a sports model
• Teams design, build, and program robots based on
sound engineering principles
• Reusable platform, powered by Android technology,
programmed using java or Blockly
• Develop strategic problem-solving, organization,
team-building skills
• Awards for competition, community outreach, design
• Qualify for over $80 million in scholarships

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 2018-2019 Season
Team Growth
8,000

7,000 6,818

6014
6,000
5222 • 6,818 teams
5,000 4445
4711

4,000 3800 • 68,000+ students, ages 12-18

3,000 2779 (Grades 7-12)
2093
2,000 1606 • Average 10 students per team
986 1111
1,000 799
554

0
53 130 • 635+ League and Meet events; 208
o l ot 0 6 0 7 08 0 9 10 1 1 1 2 13 1 4 15 1 6 1 7 18 Qualifying Tournaments; World
em Pi 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
D 05
0 5 20
Championship
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• 37 countries

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Teams of 25 (average) or more
students compete with 120-pound
robots in this Varsity Sport for the
Mind,TM combining the excitement of
sports with the rigors of science and
technology.

2019 Season
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• Strict rules, limited resources, time limits
• Students mentored by professional engineers
• Learn and use sophisticated hardware and
software
• Build and compete with robots of their own design
• Develop design, project management,
programming, teamwork, strategic thinking,
and Coopertition skills
®

• Qualify for over $80 million in scholarships

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 Team Growth 2019 Season
4,000 3,790
3,660

3,500 3,357
3,140
2,900
3,000
2,727 • 3,802 teams
2,546
2,500 2,343

2,000
2,072
1,808
• 95,000+ high-school-age students
1,683
1,501
1,500
1,133
1,307
• 10 or more students per team
927 991
1,000
(average 25)
500

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28 • 73 Regionals & District Championships;
100 District Events; FIRST Robotics
Competition Championship
• 35 countries

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Who is FIRST For?®

• For students (grades K-12, ages 6-18):

the hardest fun you’ll ever have
• For mentors, coaches, and volunteers:
the most rewarding adventure you’ll ever
undertake
• For sponsors/donors:
the most enlightened investment you could
ever make
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More Information

• On the web:
• www.firstinspires.org
• www.firstlegoleague.org
• www.firstlegoleaguejr.org

• Call: 1-800-871-8326

www.firstinspires.org
800-871-8326

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