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Media Resources
Feature FIRST Stories
Girls Build Award-Winning Robot, Get STEM Inspiration
Four girls from North Carolina —along with the large robot they built— visited the Pentagon last week to brief European participants of the State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program on increasing inclusivity in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, or STEAM.Inventor Dean Kamen is Teaming up with Influencer Mark Rober to Make Robotics Cool
Inspired by the excitement and competitive spirit of sports, FIRST uses teams and tournaments to teach and coach students on the fundamentals of engineering, research, coding, and more.The Sport Where Every Kid Can Turn Pro: Dean Kamen On How Robotics Competitions Help Create Our Future Workforce
“It’s about building skills for a career and inspiring all kids to get excited about excelling at those career skills,” Kamen explained. “We created a sport as exciting as every other—but the only one where every kid on every team has the chance to turn pro.”
The collection below brings together articles, interviews, and videos that showcase FIRST teams, participants, leaders, and programs, from past coverage to our most recent events.
2025
October 3
EdWeek | Supercharged by STEM Learning: How FIRST Robotics Boosted Volusia County Students’ State Exam Scores by 50%
June 3
Parents | How FIRST is Inspiring the Next Wave of Innovators
May 27
Fast Company | Why Your Workplace Needs More “Gracious Professionalism”
May 27
Fast Company | How to Inspire Future Generations of Innovators
April 17
News Nation | Robot rumble: Inside the FIRST Championship | Morning in America
April 10
Good Morning America | 'GMA' sideline superhero makes a difference in Detroit
April 4
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Riverside RoboTigers ready for robot Hurricane Nessie to face big competition
March 31
Inc. | He Invented the Segway. Now He’s Helping Kids in New Hampshire Build Robots
March 24
Forbes | How Businesses Can Empower Students To "Go Pro" In STEM
March 20
WMUR | NH Chronicle: How FIRST makes STEM learning a Blast
February 20
Fast Company | Young Professionals Need Safe Spaces to Fail
February 17
Ink Link | Merrimack High School Hosts ‘Week Zero’ FIRST Robotics Competition
January 4
WMUR | FIRST Robotics Holds Kickoff for 2025 Competition
2024
October 31
Forbes | Building The Next Generation: Empowering Youth Through STEM
October 21
Fast Company | Inventor Dean Kamen is Teaming Up with Influencer Mark Rober to Make Robotics Cool
October 15
Fast Company | How STEM Skills Can Help Students Get Anywhere
October 15
Fast Company | From FIRST to John Deere: Sarah’s STEM Path to Innovative Farming
October 15
Fast Company | How FIRST Robotics Shaped Logan’s Journey to Innovating at Nike
September 10
Boston Globe | MIT's Biggest Contributions of the Past 25 Years? They Aren't What You Think
July 30
Forbes | How Leaders Can Bolster The Future STEM Workforce Pipeline
June 12
Forbes | How Computer Science Education is Shaping the Workforce Pipeline
May 23
WCVB Channel 5 Boston | FIRST Robotics Team Gifts Customized Car to Massachusetts Girl with Disabilities
May 17
The New York Times | Industries Fortify STEM Workforce By Investing in FIRST Youth Robotics
April 19
Click 2 Houston | FIRST Championship Robotics Competition - Joint Interview with Gary Foote
April 19
KPBS | San Diego Students Show Their Robotics Talent and Innovation at the FIRST Championship in Houston
April 19
KOMO News | 2024 FIRST Championship STEM Competition - Joint Interview with Natalie Taitano
April 18
KPBS | San Diego County High School Robotics Teams Compete for the FIRST Championship in Houston
April 16
Bloomberg | Dean Kamen on FIRST Championship and the Importance of STEM Education
April 11
HR Leaders Podcast | Discover the Pipelining Secret for Diversity & Inclusion Success ft. FIRST VP of ED&I Dr. Janell Catlin
March 27
Forbes | Young Women in STEM: How Businesses Can Help Close the Gender Gap
March 7
LinkedIn Article | Need STEM Talent? Your Business Has a Moral Responsibility to Empower Young Women in STEM
March 1
Forbes | How Companies Can Fortify Their Talent Pipelines Via STEM Mentorship
March 1
LAist | Their South LA Schools Didn't Offer Robotics. So They Started a FIRST Tech Challenge Team of Their Own
February 19
Union Leader | At FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship, Robotics is also an Art
February 17
WMUR | New Hampshire FIRST Students Compete for Spot in National Robotics Competition
January 31
U.S. Department of Defense | Girls in FIRST Build Award-Winning Robot, Get STEM Inspiration
2023
November 15
All Inclusive Podcast | What's the Path to More Diversity in STEM? | Bosch's Impactful Partnership with FIRST ft. FIRST VP of ED&I Dr. Janell Catlin
November 4
Newsday | Henry Viscardi School Looks To Build Off FIRST Robotics Day
October 11
WCVB Chronicle | FIRST Robotics Competition Allows Massachusetts Students To Flourish
October 7
NPR | Teens Build Robots In High School For FIRST Robotics Competition
September 27
Google - The Keyword | New Google.org Grants to Introduce Thousands of Students to FIRST
August 28
The Johnston County Report | FIRST Robotics Competition Team's Book Project Seeks To Inspire Young Girls in STEM
August 24
The Eagle Tribune | Waring School's FIRST Robotics Team Expands Outreach to Rwanda
August 23
Northeastern Global News | Northeastern University and FIRST Students Partcipate in Enabling Engineering Program
August 18
The Daily Star | Hammond FIRST Robotics Students Help Child with Muscular Disorder
August 15
Disney Parks | Disney Imagineers Excited for New FIRST Robotics Season
July 13
The Valley Breeze | FIRST LEGO League Teaches Students Real-World Problem Solving
June 23
Diversity in Action | Self-Esteem Through STEM: FIRST Programs Help Build Confidence in Kids
June 22
Teen Vogue | How a FIRST Team Changed These Teens' Lives
June 14
The Patch | FIRST LEGO League Students Seek to Install Sensory Playground Equipment
June 1
ABC 7 News | 8-Year-Old FIRST LEGO League Participant Inspiring Other Young Girls to Join STEM
March 10
CNET | Meet the Teens Who Live and Breathe Robots
February 28
The Johnston County Report | Local Girls Encourage The Next Generation
January 8
WMUR | 2023 FIRST Robotics Competition Kicks Off in Manchester
January 7
Union Leader | CHARGED UP Sparks the Next Generation of Engineers - and Robots
2022
October 20
The 74 | FIRST CEO Chris Moore: Youth Sports Teach Valuable Skills But Robotics Helps Every Kids Go Pro
October 10
EducationWeek | FIRST CEO Chris Moore: Students Can Thrive In STEM - But They Need The Right Push
August 31
Chalkbeat | FIRST CEO Chris Moore: A Teacher Told Me I Wasn't Cut Out For STEM. For Too Long, I Believed Her.
July 11
TechCrunch+ | Dean Kamen on the Power of Celebrating Your Own Obsoletion
July 11
Parents | Robotics Community FIRST Inspires Students to Use STEM Skills for Global Good
June 27
Politico | More Than Robots: Bringing the Power of FIRST Programs to Every School in America
June 21
Upworthy | Parents are Empowering their Kids to Imagine Exciting New Careers in STEM Through FIRST
June 16
Upworthy | Global Robotics Community FIRST Prepares Students to Thrive as Adults in a Rapidly Changing World
June 13
Upworthy | FIRST Students are Changing the World Through STEM, One Challenge at a Time
April 27
Houston Public Media | Houston Public Media Visits FIRST Championship (segment begins ~37:45 mark)
April 21
CBS 58 WDJT-Milwaukee | Disney+ Documentary "More Than Robots" Highlights FIRST Students Excelling in STEM
April 14
Los Angeles Times | "More Than Robots" Takes You Behind The Scenes Of L.A. FIRST Robotics Teams
2021
September 17
MSNBC Morning Joe | Afghan All-Girl FIRST Robotics Team Continues Training After Fleeing Taliban
August 6
CBS This Morning | FIRST Robotics Competition Team's Invention Helps Boy With A Prosthetic Leg Ride A Bicycle
July 22
The Washington Post | A Teacher Was Pregnant. FIRST Tech Challenge Student Among Ten To Build A Device So Her Spouse, Who Uses A Wheelchair, Can Stroll With The Baby
July 8
Forbes | The Sport Where Every Kid Can Turn Pro: Dean Kamen On How Robotics Competitions Help Create Our Future Workforce
August 6
CBS This Morning | FIRST Robotics Competition Team's Invention Helps Boy With A Prosthetic Leg Ride A Bicycle
May 26
Cheddar | Young Innovators: FIRST Robotics Competition Team R2JESU's Innovation Ensures Users Feel Safe While Exercising Alone
May 18
Cheddar | Young Innovators: FIRST Robotics Competition Team The Funky Monkeys Discusses Ball-Shooting Robot "Oneshot
May 17
Sustainable Brands | How to Empower the Next, Diverse Generation of Innovators
May 12
Cheddar News | Young Innovators: FIRST Robotics Competition Team The Holy Cows Developed "Mooove" App To Reduce Time Needed To Exercise, Increase Accessibility
May 5
Cheddar News | Young Innovators: Robotics Community FIRST Is Preparing Young People For The Future
April 19
WMUR 9 | New Christa McAuliffe Coin to Help Fund Education
April 5
HuffPost | Bridging The Gap: How Women In STEM Are Carving Out Their Place And Making Room For Younger Generations
March 18
EducationWeek | Working With the Likes of LEGO, Disney, and Lucasfilm to Engage Students in STEM
January 26
Ed Surge | How Leveraging Curiosity May Keep Students Engaged From Afar
2020
October 30
Business Insider | How one of the world's biggest STEM programs is still teaching students to build robots during one of the most uncertain school years ever
October 14
Electronic Design | FIRST and LEGO Tackle COVID-19 Challenges with Remote Programs, Resources
September 16
HuffPost | How Two Teens Are Saving Their City's Bees
August 17
NBC LX | More Than Robots: How This STEM Program is Teaching Students Valuable Life Lessons
August 13
ABC News | These high school FIRST students built a potentially life-saving device
July 29
Forbes | From LEGO To Lasers: Kids Invent The Coolest Things
June 18
The Week | FIRST Students Create 13-Mile 'Bee Byway' in Their Town to Save Native Bees
June 9
Purpose 360 | Humanity at Its Best: FIRST Robotics Teams
May 26
Space.com | FIRST and partners open robotics competition for students
May 21
TODAY | Meet the FIRST LEGO League students using 3D printing to make PPE for first responders
May 18
Fast Company | Afghanistan's All-Girl Robotics Team is Building Emergency Ventilators Out of Car Parts
May 8
Forbes | 8 Under 18: The Young Trailblazers Stepping Up During The Pandemic
May 6
THE Journal | Free Resources for Schools During COVID-19 Outbreak
April 20
Ed Surge | Grit, Tenacity, Inclusion - Robotics Programs Teach Much More Than STEM Concepts
April 27
Business Insider | How People are Using 3D Printing to Fight Equipment Shortages, from Tech Companies to a High School Robotics Team Making 400 Face Masks a Day
January 21
Ed Surge | 5 Ways to Prepare Every Student for the STEM Economy
Business Insider | How one of the world's biggest STEM programs is still teaching students to build robots during one of the most uncertain school years ever
October 14
Electronic Design | FIRST and LEGO Tackle COVID-19 Challenges with Remote Programs, Resources
September 16
HuffPost | How Two Teens Are Saving Their City's Bees
August 17
NBC LX | More Than Robots: How This STEM Program is Teaching Students Valuable Life Lessons
August 13
ABC News | These high school FIRST students built a potentially life-saving device
July 29
Forbes | From LEGO To Lasers: Kids Invent The Coolest Things
June 18
The Week | FIRST Students Create 13-Mile 'Bee Byway' in Their Town to Save Native Bees
June 9
Purpose 360 | Humanity at Its Best: FIRST Robotics Teams
May 26
Space.com | FIRST and partners open robotics competition for students
May 21
TODAY | Meet the FIRST LEGO League students using 3D printing to make PPE for first responders
May 18
Fast Company | Afghanistan's All-Girl Robotics Team is Building Emergency Ventilators Out of Car Parts
May 8
Forbes | 8 Under 18: The Young Trailblazers Stepping Up During The Pandemic
May 6
THE Journal | Free Resources for Schools During COVID-19 Outbreak
April 20
Ed Surge | Grit, Tenacity, Inclusion - Robotics Programs Teach Much More Than STEM Concepts
April 27
Business Insider | How People are Using 3D Printing to Fight Equipment Shortages, from Tech Companies to a High School Robotics Team Making 400 Face Masks a Day
January 21
Ed Surge | 5 Ways to Prepare Every Student for the STEM Economy
2019
October 17
The New York Times | Empower and Educate Afghanistan’s Youth to Ensure a Peaceful Future
February 18
LinkedIn | How Your Corporate Employees Can Be as Valuable as Your Checks to Nonprofits
The New York Times | Empower and Educate Afghanistan’s Youth to Ensure a Peaceful Future
September 26
CNN | Teacher and Astronaut Christa McAuliffe to be Honored by the United States Mint with Silver Dollar Coin
September 10
Forbes | When a Brand Collaboration Actually Has Synergy: Disney and FIRST Robotics
June 26
TechCrunch | These Kids are Changing the Future of Space Travel
June 17
EE|Times | STEM: It’s Time to Add an ‘A’
May 15
U.S. News & World Report | Photos: 2019 FIRST Robotics Championship
May 6
EdTech Digest | A World Built Better Together
April 26
AP News | Youth Robotics Global Championship Returns to Detroit [article]
AP News | Youth Robotics Global Championship Returns to Detroit [watch]
April 20
Good Morning America (GMA) | Robotics: New Trend in High School Sports [watch]
April 13
TechCrunch | Disney/Lucasfilm Donates $1.5 Million to FIRST
March 8
Industry Today | Taking Responsibility for Tomorrow's Workforce
March 7
FIRST in Texas | How FIRST in Texas Helps Solve the Middle Skills Gap
February 18
LinkedIn | How Your Corporate Employees Can Be as Valuable as Your Checks to Nonprofits
January 14
TechZone 360 | An Inspiring Family Finds FIRST, and a Modern Roboticist Flourishes
January 5
AP News | Details of DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE Presented by The Boeing Company Robotics Game Revealed
Media Resources
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