Star Wars actors Daisy Ridley, Kelly Marie Tran, and Oscar Isaac highlighted a few of the FIRST^® teams tackling challenges raised by the COVID-19 pandemic in a video message to the FIRST community.
 

The 2019-2020 FIRST season, FIRST RISE powered by Star Wars: Force for Change, set out to prepare students to reach new heights and tackle the many challenges that face our galaxy. When their robotics competition season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many FIRST teams quickly turned from tackling challenges they faced on the game field to those facing their own communities, demonstrating truly what it means to be part of FIRST and a Force for Change.

As professional scientists, engineers and health experts around the globe battle the coronavirus pandemic, FIRST alumni and FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST^® Tech Challenge, and FIRST^® LEGO^® League teams have found many ways to use their STEM skills for good: They’ve built cost-effective ventilators and respirators in partnership with regional medical and research institutions. They’ve tackled the shortage of personal protective equipment by 3-D printing face shields, creating ear-savers for healthcare workers on the frontline, and sewing masks for community members, first responders, and healthcare professionals. They’ve repurposed their robots to dispense touch-free hand sanitizer and deliver contact-less groceries.

These examples are a true testament to why Dean Kamen founded FIRST 31 years ago, and why partners like Disney and Lucasfilm support the organization: to inspire generations of young people to develop a passion for STEM and innovation and apply their skills to the most pressing challenges humanity will face.