FIRST Robotics 2006 Kickoff

Are you interested in mentoring students? Do you have any engineering interests or skills? Then consider becoming a part of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a multinational, non-profit organization whose goals are to, "transform culture, making science, math, engineering, and technology as cool for kids as sports are today."

Dean Kamen, well-known inventor of the Segway Human Transporter and other high-technology products, founded FIRST in 1989. Thanks to Kamen's influence and leadership, many Fortune 500 companies have helped to sponsor FIRST and its popular robotics competitions.

According to the FIRST web site, "The key to FIRST 's success is the work of over 25,000 volunteer mentors , professional engineers, teachers, and other adults working with students across the country. In addition to the thousands of volunteer team mentors, FIRST competitions and other events were organized and staffed by over 14,000 event and committee volunteers. Through these volunteers, FIRST programs engaged over 70,000 young people during the last year. FIRST programs are growing rapidly in the United States and Canada, and demand is accelerating in other countries."

To learn more about FIRST, visit the FIRST web site. Additional sponsors and volunteers are always welcome. Click here for details. You can read an editorial about FIRST in The Citizen Scientist (The Mars Rover is a Major Boost for Amateur and Student Robotics, 09 January 2004).

Forrest M. Mims III