FIRST

Headed to #WE25 in New Orleans later this week? Don’t miss Dr. Janell N. Catlin, Ph.D., FIRST VP of Social Impact & Engagement, speaking as a panelist on Saturday, October 25 at 10AM CT during Invent It. Build It: Listen and Learn How to Advocate for Future STEM Stars! Janell will join fellow industry leaders and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) member experts to explore the vital role parents and educators play in supporting girls’ pathways to engineering careers. Together, they will share resources to help advocate for girls in STEM and prepare them for innovative and successful futures. Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q03KPn450

“Teachers play a unique role in helping students realize their potential. Not only do they teach the science and life skills young people will need to succeed in their future careers, but they act as counselors and mentors who help students navigate barriers and decide who they want to be.” - Dean Kamen We’re asking YOU to submit nominations for the Inspire the Future: FIRST Recognition Program on behalf of inspiring educators and schools in your local community. Help us recognize the impact they make and #makeitloud! Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q03DVdPk0 #InspireTheFuture

“Archaeology is a science, not a treasure hunt. I discourage folks from collecting artifacts, since history belongs to all of us. If information is not shared, we miss important parts of the story.” Mel Zabecki, Arkansas’ State Archaeologist, has found that the process of learning and discovery is often more important than the acknowledgement that comes after. Dedicated to clearing up misconceptions about archaeology and preserving her community's discoveries, Mel has found that we can learn a lot about human history from a single source: human bones. Learn more in this week’s #PeopleofSTEAM as we celebrate National Archaeology Day with Mel: https://hubs.ly/Q03P1yG50

“A beautiful project-based learning environment, a teacher who loves and cares, a community that wants us to come together and offer these opportunities, and an industry and a FIRST robotics grouping that's willing to come in and say, we see you, we value you. We want you to be a part of what we're doing, will do what it takes for you to do it.” - Melissa Audelo, Lincoln High School Principal The vision of FIRST is brought to life by a global community of passionate supporters, including volunteers, teachers, parents, community leaders, corporate sponsors like Qualcomm, and the student participants themselves. This can be seen in action at Lincoln High School, where a community rallied together to not only form FIRST Robotics Competition Team 9452 “Steel Stingers," but give them the resources, guidance, and support to be successful and celebrated. Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q03Kj3Hq0 #morethanrobots

In Volusia County, Florida, students participating in FIRST are scoring 50% higher on state math exams than their peers, while developing teamwork, leadership and problem-solving skills that extend far beyond the classroom. The students aren’t just building robots either; they’re solving real-world problems and positively impacting their community. Read how implementing FIRST programs in your school district can advance a new generation of skilled problem-solvers, equipped with the ability to generate tangible impact on their future career readiness (via Education Week): https://hubs.ly/Q03MB0R_0 #morethanrobots

As FIRST continues to improve and expand support, training, and recognition for the passionate mentors within our robotics community, we are thrilled to launch several new initiatives for the 2025-2026 season! 🤖 Mentor Ready Training 🤖 Team Connectivity feature 🤖 Updated team roles and definitions 🤖 Exclusive FIRST Mentor recognition merchandise Check out our recent blog to learn more about each initiative: https://hubs.ly/Q03Nt4H20 #FIRSTVolunteers

Manufacturing Week was packed with innovative insights! 🛠️ 💡 Last week, we collaborated with Molex-sponsored FIRST Robotics Competition teams 3061 “Huskie Robotics” and 2338 “Oswego Gear It Forward,” plus Gene Haas Foundation-sponsored teams 9015 “Questionable Engineering” and 696 “Circuit Breakers” to share their best manufacturing tips and tricks. From smart part numbering systems to precision measuring and more, these teams dropped some serious knowledge to help FIRST teams sharpen their skills. Missed a video? No worries! We’ve pulled them all together in one easy-to-access blog. Check it out: https://hubs.ly/Q03Mpcpx0 #omgrobots

Did you catch FIRST on CBS' Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove this weekend? We’re thrilled to see FIRST featured on such an inspiring STEM show that highlights female innovators who are on the cutting edge of science. This episode is a full-on celebration of the creativity, curiosity, and innovation that fuel our community and ignite the STEM leaders of tomorrow. Tell us your favorite part of the episode in the comments! 👇 #morethanrobots #WatchMeSTEM #MissionUnstoppableTV

Dr. Woodie Flowers often reminded us that “societies get the best of what they celebrate,” and at FIRST, we celebrate those like Woodie who lead with kindness, integrity, and a vision for a better world through STEM. ✌️❤️🤖 On the sixth anniversary of Woodie’s passing, we honor his legacy by turning to the voices of our community. We asked members of the FIRST community across the globe to share what Gracious Professionalism means to them. Read their inspiring responses and share yours below: https://hubs.ly/Q03KxvX20 #thatsGP #WalkLikeWoodie

“If you want a meaningful AND happy life, each of you will need to figure out how to pull at least a hundred others with you toward success.” – Dr. Woodie Flowers Today, we celebrate #WalkLikeWoodie Day and honor the life and legacy of Dr. Woodie Flowers. Woodie showed us that success isn’t about standing alone at the top, but about bringing others with you through kindness, collaboration, and compassion. From Gracious Professionalism to Coopertition, his ideas weren’t just words — they were a call to action. He challenged us to lead with heart, to compete with respect, and to always make space for the “Good Stuff” in life. As members of the robotics community that he loved so much, it’s now our turn to keep his innovative and inspiring spirit alive. Share your photos, thoughts, tributes, and examples of Gracious Professionalism with #WalkLikeWoodie. Together, we carry his legacy forward. #thatsGP