PRESS ROOM & NEWS

MANCHESTER, N.H., August 14, 2024 — FIRST^®, a robotics community that prepares young people for the future, today announced the disbursement of five STEM Equity Community Innovation grants to address inequities in access to science and technology for children in countries around the world. The grants directly support students from underserved and underrepresented communities and help community leaders develop new, innovative approaches to close the STEM education gap.

FIRST launched its STEM Equity Community Innovation Grants program in 2016 to provide historically marginalized students across the globe with hands-on learning and creative problem-solving opportunities. For the past eight years, grants ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with an average of $45,000. In 2023 and for 2024, grants increased to an award range of $30,000 to $70,000, with an average of $58,000. The highly competitive grant evaluation criteria include community need, population of students served, increases in diversity, execution strength, track record of reaching all students, and the value of the activities proposed. To date, FIRST has awarded 88 grants totaling $3.3M to grantees around the world.

“I am thrilled to see the transformative impact that our STEM Equity Community Innovation grants continue to have on communities around the world,” said Dr. Janell N. Catlin, Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at FIRST. “STEM is for everyone. FIRST is proud to continue our dedication to expanding STEM opportunities for youth through the distribution of these grants and other key strategies and initiatives that support equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

FIRST sponsors provide generous support and a continued commitment to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at FIRST. Their support enables FIRST to explore, develop and implement strategies to become more inclusive and ensure access to FIRST programs for all students.

Grantees will receive resources and support from FIRST as they develop their community-wide programs incorporating FIRST^® Robotics Competition, FIRST^® Tech Challenge and all three divisions of FIRST^® LEGO^® League.

The 2024 FIRST STEM Equity Community Innovation Grant award winners include:

Eureka Enrichment Services (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Eureka Enrichment Services will bring FIRST programs to rural communities to reach 250+ students. Funding will allow Eureka to deliver an innovative FIRST LEGO League summer experience for students and teachers, while also providing an opportunity for summer rookie teams to return to their respective schools with the tools, confidence and skills to successfully participate in the FIRST LEGO League season. FIRST Tech Challenge teams will also commence in communities that currently participate in FIRST LEGO League with the intention to decrease entry costs so they can establish and maintain both programs at their schools. 

Infinity Center of Education (Melbourne, Florida)

Infinity Center of Education (ICE) is driven to cultivate the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers through STEM programs in Florida. They will create a total of 20 FIRST LEGO League Class Packs and 12 FIRST LEGO League teams with an aim to impact over 1,500 students in Florida’s Brevard County. The Infinity Center of Education will provide support to teams through access to STEM materials, equipment, and event resources. Grant funds will be used to provide long-term sustainable resources to address the needs of vulnerable, underserved, and underrepresented populations in the Central Florida region. 

Laurel Heights Education and Robotics, Inc. (Hollsopple, Pennsylvania)

Through the “Close the Skills Gap through FIRST Robotics” project, Laurel Highlands Education and Robotics (LHER) will increase STEM opportunities for underserved, underrepresented and vulnerable students in rural communities of the rust belt (steel region) of western Pennsylvania. LHER will target students in grades 2-12, teachers, and families from 14+ rural school districts with a goal to support 22 teams spanning the FIRST LEGO League Explore, FIRST LEGO League Challenge, and FIRST Tech Challenge programs, serving 180 students.

Robotix Foundation (Mexico City, Mexico)

Robotix Foundation is committed to transforming and promoting education in Mexico and Latin America to enable students to develop new skills and obtain the necessary tools to have a better present and future. They will use grant funds to support students in 60 public schools in vulnerable areas of Mexico to gain access to quality STEM equipment, education, and experiences. Through FIRST LEGO League programs, the Robotix Foundation will reach over 4,200 students ages 4 to 16 years old. In addition to season materials for the three divisions of FIRST LEGO League, training will be provided to teachers to support the implementation of the programs.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (Hertfordshire, United Kingdom)

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has a mission to inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community, supporting technology innovation to meet the needs of society. They will partner with public libraries to deliver the FIRST LEGO League Discover and FIRST LEGO League Explore programs. The location, accessibility, and profile of libraries within communities makes them an ideal partner to reach out to populations who would not traditionally have access to STEM opportunities. Building on a successful pilot in a previous season, IET plans to reach 3,720 students by establishing 120 teams in 15 library hubs in urban areas across the UK.

 

The 2025 FIRST STEM Equity Community Innovation Grant will be administered via a nomination process. FIRST will look to field representatives to recommend new locations that need funding and have supports in place to ensure program sustainability.

FIRST STEM Equity Community Innovation Grants are just one initiative FIRST has employed in support of equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM. Other key initiatives include:

• Grant funds to support FIRST LEGO League Challenge, Explore and Discover. Class Packs serving underserved communities, as part of LEGO Foundation funding
• Thought Leadership activities including presentations, blog posts, and articles
• Partnerships with youth serving organizations
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion training and resources for FIRST HQ Staff, volunteers, coaches, and youth

Through these initiatives, and with the support of our sponsors, FIRST is making STEM more accessible to students nationally and internationally. To learn more about our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, please, visit: https://www.firstinspires.org/about/diversityinclusion

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About FIRST^® 

FIRST^® is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured after-school programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges.

An international not-for-profit organization founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Participants and alumni of FIRST programs gain access to education and career discovery opportunities, connections to exclusive scholarships and employers, and a place in the FIRST community for life. Learn more at firstinspires.org.