At A Glance


FIRST® is the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education.

Reaching over 3.2 million youth participants around the world since 1989, FIRST combines the rigor of STEM learning with the fun and excitement of traditional sports and the inspiration that comes from community through programs that have a proven impact on learning, interest, and skill-building inside and outside of the classroom.

FIRST By The Numbers

3.2 million+ youth participants impacted in more than 100 countries since 1989
Millions of volunteer hours served annually
Thousands of events held each year
81% of FIRST alumni declare a STEM major by their fourth year in college (compared to 64% of peers in FIRST Longitudinal Study)
48% of female FIRST alumni declare a major in engineering or computer science by their fourth year of college (compared to 16% of peers in FIRST Longitudinal Study)
 

FIRST Programs

FIRST Volunteers, Sponsors & Supporters

  • FIRST volunteers and educators served 28 million+ hours through more than 316,000 roles during the 2022-2023 season.
  • FIRST sponsors include more than 25 FIRST Strategic Partners and more than 200 of the Fortune 500 companies.
  • FIRST Scholarship Providers make available thousands of exclusive scholarship opportunities for FIRST participants each season.

FIRST Alumni Impact

  • 81% of FIRST alumni declare a STEM major by their fourth year in college (compared to 64% of the comparison group).**
  • 48% of female FIRST alumni declare a major in engineering or computer science by their fourth year of college (versus 16% of their peers in the comparison group).**
  • For more FIRST impact data, check out our FIRST impact studies.

**Source: FIRST Longitudinal Study: Findings at 108-Month Follow-Up, Brandeis University, February 2023

 

Page updated November 2023

Donate Gifts in Kind

Donate Gifts in Kind

Do you want your brand affiliated with the Ultimate Sport for the Mind? Consider making an in-kind donation to FIRST. There are a variety of ways FIRST uses donated goods and services.

Start a FIRST LEGO League Team

Start a FIRST LEGO League Team

See your students grow and shine through FIRST® LEGO® League. Starting with Discover, children ages 4-6 are introduced to the fundamentals of STEM while working together to solve fun challenges and building models using LEGO® bricks.

As participants progress into Explore (ages 6-10), children will take their background knowledge of STEM and put it into practice as they work in teams to design and build robots using LEGO Education SPIKETM Essential.

FIRST Senior Mentor Program

FIRST Senior Mentor Program

FIRST® Senior Mentors (FSMs) recruit and support teams, mentors, coaches, and volunteers while expanding and deepening both the awareness and exposure of the progression of FIRST programs. From the ground-up to the larger community, FIRST Senior Mentors recruit, support, and expand, piece by piece.

Mentors and Coaches

Mentors and Coaches

 
FIRST® mentors and coaches support over half a million students across the globe a year. As a mentor or coach of a FIRST team, you help inspire and empower students to be innovators. You're working side by side with FIRST participants to build their leadership and problem-solving skills and, more importantly, their sense of belonging and self-confidence. Your contribution to the success of FIRST programs is immeasurable. 
 
As a mentor or coach you can:
  • Teach others what you know
  • Be inspired by the students
  • Give back to your community
  • Build your own skills and resume

Event Volunteers

Event Volunteers

FIRST® hosts thousands of events around the globe annually. These events are made possible through the support of event volunteers who work alongside others who are passionate about the mission of FIRST to run seasonal events at the local, regional, and even international levels. 
 
As an event volunteer you will:
  • Empower students to be good global citizens who understand that they can use their collective skills to make a positive impact in one person’s life, in their community, and even the world.  
  • Join a community of like-minded individuals that support FIRST programs.
  • Receive general FIRST training and training for your volunteer role. 
  • Have access to certificates of volunteerism and other recognition items. 

 

No matter your availability and the level you want to be involved in, there is a role for you, from safety attendees to judges, and emcees to referees. Some roles require minimal time commitment with succinct day-of preparation. Other roles require pre-event training and longer participation on event days. Technical and non-technical event volunteer roles are available to support FIRST programs. 

 

Cost & Registration

Cost & Registration

FIRST LEGO League’s three divisions inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills through hands-on STEM learning centered around a yearly theme.

2024-2025 SUBMERGEDSM Season

Costs for starting a FIRST LEGO League team vary depending on the division and level of participation. There are never any “per student” fees; all costs for individual team members are assumed by the team as a group.

Team Basics

Team Basics

The really cool thing about FIRST LEGO League is…all skill levels are welcomed and needed, technical or non-technical.

Please note FIRST does not match children to existing teams due our privacy policy. We encourage those looking for a team to contact their local schools, libraries, or youth organizations who may have a team in place or interest in starting one.