The Morals
FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is a non-profit organization co-founded by Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers 20 years ago. "Gracious Professionalism," is all about teamwork and the idea that a team can compete with others but still lend a helping hand when needed. FIRST unites Gracious Professionalism and Technology. Creating a robotics competition that has more than one winner, because everyone learns and excels.
If the morals of FIRST were implemented deeper into our world we would have tremendous leaps and bounds in all fields. Companies that had issues implementing one feature could use the help of another's and create an even better product. That, is what FIRST is about, creating a better world for the rest of us.
From Small to Large
Science and Technology is used by all of us, whether we're 18 or 6. That's why FIRST has 3 separate programs to accommodate students of all ages; FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition.
Ages 6-14
Jr. FIRST Lego League (6-9) and FIRST Lego League (9-14) are both based around the popular Lego Mindstorms kit. FLL and Jr. FLL are designed to allow children to think and engineer solutions for world issues using science and technology. At the end of the season they present their solutions to judges and demonstrate the robot they've built with the motorized Lego kit. FLL also goes a step further and brings it to a competitive and international level with the finals held in Atlanta Georgia.
More about Pace's Jr FLL and FLL teams
Ages 14-18
FIRST Tech Challenge is a mid-level robotics competition that utilizes Pitsco's TETRIX kit and the Lego NXT brick. FTC gives a low budget alternative to the pricier FRC, and gives rookie teams an opportunity to see what a FIRST competition is like; this in turn also opens up robotics for those who are less fortunate.
FIRST Robotics Competition
FRC is an international competition for high schoolers aged 14-18. It uses 2 crate sized kits, purchased from FIRST Organization, which contains motors, gears, boards, materials, cables, cameras, controllers, and no instructions. FRC is the high-level program of FIRST and it challenges teams to think creatively in order to design the best robot for the task. It requires weeks of work, constant innovation, a lot of passion, and even more teamwork.
The Pace Invaders are number 2361 in the FIRST Robotics Competition.
Mentor Us!
Send us a message if you wish to be a professional mentor for the PACE Invaders. Don't forget your e-mail address!
Mentors
FIRST encourages mentoring in all the leagues. Mentoring allows FIRST teams to learn from professionals and it achieves the goal of helping others. When students work together with professionals they understand, not only, how to build a robot but also how the robot works. The PACE Invaders is always accepting professional mentors, the more ideas and experience we have the better. Contact us.
Scholarships
FIRST is a gold star on your university (college) application and many schools actively search for high school students who has participated in FIRST, "This is official recognition of the knowledge and technical and life skills these students have gained from participating in a FIRST competition.
FIRST scholarships enable students to persue majors and careers in engineering, computer science, science, math, design, aeronautics, and many other fields." In 2010, the FIRST Scholarship Program provides; Over $11 Million in scholarships, over 545 individual scholarship opportunities, over 115 Scholarship providers.1 Read more at USFIRST.