FIRST Robotics Competition Blog

This year’s FIRST^® Inspire Gala is Wednesday in Miami Beach, Florida and is co-hosted by will.i.am and the i.am/Angel Foundation! The honoree this year is long-time FIRST supporter Ursula Burns.

Each year’s gala has included a fundraising auction of items and experiences. This year’s auction has been moved online.

The auction has several unique items and experiences across all FIRST programs and a few that aren’t related to FIRST at all. I’m not gonna lie, if I were on the west coast, the Kings VIP experience seems awesome.

Funds from the gala and the auction go to support the FIRST mission. In past seasons, FIRST mission support funds have been used for activities including helping grow and support partners in new regions, funding grants that reach underserved youth, and conducting research on the efficacy and impact of FIRST participation.

“This year's gala honors the outstanding work that students are doing in FIRST and highlights the critical need to get more students involved in these life-changing programs. We’re excited to showcase the connection between STEM and the arts, celebrating the intrinsic interconnectedness of these disciplines.” - Dean Kamen

The auction closes at 8:30 pm eastern December 6!