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

Reaching over 2.5 million student 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

2.5 million+ student participants impacted in 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 68% of peers in FIRST Longitudinal Study)

50% of female FIRST alumni declare a major in engineering or computer science by their fourth year of college (compared to 14% of peers in FIRST Longitudinal Study)

 

FIRST Programs

• FIRST offers a suite of PreK-12 robotics programs: FIRST LEGO League (ages 4-16, varies by country and division), FIRST Tech Challenge (ages 12-18), and FIRST Robotics Competition (ages 14-18).
• FIRST programs reached 534,000+ students globally during the 2021-2022 season.
  • For reach by program and past season data, view the current and archived FIRST Annual Impact Reports.
• FIRST teams showcased their skills at over 2,900 official FIRST events during the 2021-2022 season.

FIRST Volunteers, Sponsors & Supporters

• FIRST volunteers and educators served 21 million+ hours through more than 252,000 roles during the 2021-2022 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 68% of the comparison group).**
• 50% of female FIRST alumni declare a major in engineering or computer science by their fourth year of college (versus 14% of their peers in the comparison group).**
• For more FIRST impact data, check out our FIRST impact studies.

**Source: FIRST Longitudinal Study: Findings at 96-Month Follow-Up, Brandeis University, April 2022

Page updated January 2023