1 Engineering young futures 2010 Annual Report www.usfirst.org 2 3 FIRST Facts 2010 Engineering A family of programs Youth participants .......................................212,000+ (ages 6-18) FIRST learning never stops. From age 6 to 18, four progressive FIRST programs Mentors, Coaches, Volunteers, young futures help young people master skills and concepts they’ll use over and over as they and adult Supporters ........................................................ 90,000+ follow the FIRST path from one level to the next, and into college and a career. FIRST® founder Dean Kamen said it best: In addition to gaining real, hands-on experience Number of hours donated in engineering and programming as they design by Volunteers ...................................................................5,817,340 “FIRSTexperiencesgiveyoungpeople and build working robots, FIRST participants also U.S. states participating.............................................................50 discover the business side of technology, like Countries participating...............................................................57 thetoolsettheyneedtobuildan conducting research, obtaining patents, creating a Scholarships available ........... $12.2 million from 136 providers extraordinarylife,career,and,ultimately, company, raising capital, and executing marketing programs. Supporting them at every level is Sponsors............................................................................... 3,500+ abettersociety.” an army of thousands of selfless, dedicated FIRST® Robotics Competition donated parts .................369,375 Volunteers, Mentors, Coaches, Sponsors, Through its motivational youth programs featuring competitive educational institutions, and government officials Number of robots constructed ..........................................17,644 yet highly cooperative research and robot games,FIRST offering guidance, knowledge, enthusiasm, and Growth of FIRST participation (over 2009) ............................ 8% helps engineer brighter futures for hundreds of thousands of financial support. Participants who have a the world’s young people by turning them on to science, A life changer meaningful learning experience ........................................ 100% technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This fun, challenging One of the triumphs of FIRST is that it melds together people of all ages and FIRST participants are many times more likely to: “SportfortheMindtm” often launches them on college and backgrounds who can make a positive impact on how kids think about themselves and what they’ll do with their futures. Not everyone on a team designs and builds career paths they might never have considered. robots. Some raise funds or create publicity. Others create team names, logos, and ■■ Attend college competition outfits. The collective skills they learn through FIRST introduce them to FIRST, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, combines ■■ Major and pursue careers in exciting career possibilities in a variety of fields. science or engineering teamwork, competition, a family of programs, and justplain A platform for involvement ■■ Volunteer in their communities fun. By participating in FIRST, students build self-confidence, ■■ Secure internships gain knowledge, learn life and employment skills, discover Experiencing explosive growth, FIRST programs continue to attract motivated ■■ career paths, and practice “GraciousProfessionalismTM”and Mentor students individuals, institutions, and corporations that tm ■■ “Coopertition. ”In 2010, with more than 90,000 committed adult recognize that their support and participation Become outstanding citizens Volunteers supporting them, more than 212,000 young people helps youth now while sowing the seeds for huge future dividends for all of mankind. The In college, FIRST participants are many times more likely to: from every U.S. state and 56 other countries were introduced international FIRST community hopes you’ll to the joys of creative problem-solving through robotics consider joining our quest to change the world ■■ Secure internships competition and mentored/coached teamwork. for the better by helping us engineer young ■■ Pursue careers in engineering futures, one at a time. ■■ Minority FIRST participants are more than twice as likely and female participants are four times as *STEM is science, technology, engineering, and math likely to study science and engineering 4 High-school students get to: 5 FRC teams compete with up-to-150- ■ Work alongside professional engineers pound robots of their own design in this ■ Learn and use sophisticated hardware and software varsity Sport for the Mind, combining the ■ Be exposed to design, project management, programming, excitement of sport with the rigors of Grades 9-12 (ages 14-18) teamwork, and strategic thinking science and technology. FIRST learning ■ Qualify for millions of dollars in scholarships “Yourepresentthe bestofwhatour never stops building upon countryhasto High-school students get to: offer.You’resmart, itself, starting at age 6 and ■ Design, build, and program robots based on you’retalented, continuing through middle and FTC teams develop strategy, build sound engineering principles you’rehard robots using a reusable, modular kit ■ Get hands-on programming and rapid-prototyping experience working,you’re high-school levels up to age 18. of parts, and compete head to head. creative,you’re Grades 9-12 (ages 14-18) ■ Develop strategic, problem-solving, organizational, and Students learn to think like engineers. team-building skills workingtogether. Young people can participate Andwhatyou ■ Qualify for millions of dollars in scholarships at any level. Participants aregoingto accomplish– master skills and concepts Children ages 9 to 16 (9 to 14 in the U.S. and Canada) get to: notjustinschool butfortherest to aid in learning science and FLL teams build LEGO®-based robots ■ Strategize, design, build, program, and test an autonomous robot using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® technology ofyourlives and develop research projects based –makesme technology through robotics, Grades 4-8 (ages 9-16) on a real-world Challenge that changes ■ Create innovative solutions to challenges facing today’s scientists unbelievably ages 9-14 in the US and Canada annually. Their activities are guided by while gaining valuable career ■ Develop career and life skills including critical thinking, hopeful.” FLL Core Values. time management, and teamwork Arne Duncan and life skills. ■ Become involved in their local and global community U.S. Secretary of Education Children ages 6 to 9 get to: Jr.FLL teams design and construct ■ Explore challenges facing today’s scientists a model with moving parts using LEGO ■ Discover real-world math and science Grades K-3 (ages 6-9) elements and present their research Gracious Professionalismtm ■ Engage in team activities guided by Jr.FLL Core Values Grades K-3 (ages 6-9) journey on a “Show-Me” poster. Coopertitiontm ■ Begin developing employment and life skills Sport for the Mindtm 6 7 We continue to be amazed by the “life engineering” stories that filter through FIRST on a daily basis and are shared throughout this document. These are the stories of kids who shied away from science and math; who found it nothing but drudgery, and then ended up going to college for an engineering degree with scholarships provided by our Sponsors. These are the stories of extraordinary adults looking for a meaningful way to give something back who are suddenly running regional FIRST events for thousands of kids. These are the stories of Sponsors who became involved a DeanKamen decade ago and now employ the bright young people who came through their local FIRST program. WalterP.Havenstein What’s extremely gratifying is that FIRST, more than any other youth-oriented program, truly does help “engineer young futures,” and, in a bigger way, a better future for us all. The concepts, creative problem-solving skills, teamwork, and collaboration that FIRST participants learn early on are the crucial “life engineering tools” they’ll carry with them into college, exciting careers in innovation, and life in general. We marvel at the fact that while the importance of STEM education is only now being recognized as a national priority, FIRST has been championing that very idea since 1989. We feel extremely fortunate to be representing FIRST when we listen to world leaders talk about how the future belongs to the innovators, and how the U.S., in turn, needs to adjust its attitudes about STEM in our schools. We still hope and work for the day when FIRST programs are available for everyone who dreams of developing the next generation of technological wonders and advances. What better way to help create the innovators of tomorrow than by exposing our youth to the wonders of science and technology and helping them nurture a love for exploration and discovery, as the FIRST family of four “building block” robotics programs so aptly accomplishes? On behalf of the FIRST board of directors and staff, we offer our sincere and humble thanks to the tens of thousands of Volunteers, Sponsors, Mentors, Coaches, teachers, parents, friends, and fans that make FIRST run and help it continue to grow. Your unheralded contributions of time, talent, and resources are truly inspirational. We very much look forward to our shared future together. “The whole process here is to convince you that you will determine your own destiny. You’ll be out there creating new jobs – whole new industries, new com- Dean