1 About FIRST

FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring young people to be leaders and innovators in science and technology. Through programs such as FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Lego League, students are encouraged to excel in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. FIRST was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen (inventor of the Segway and the insulin pump) and has since become an international organization that has reached hundreds of thousands of students from elementary school through high school. For more information, visit https://www.firstinspires.org/.

1.1 About FRC

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is FIRST's oldest robotics program. It is designed to provide a rigorous engineering challenge to high school students as well as teach leadership, collaboration, and project management. Over three thousand teams have anywhere from fewer than ten to over one hundred students with guidance and support from adult mentors. Each year, every FRC team builds a robot to compete in a game released in early January.

1.2 Gracious Professionalism

As part of its mission to encourage student leadership and collaboration, FIRST promotes Gracious Professionalism as one of its core values in all levels of competition. Their website describes this ideal as follows: “With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended.”

1.3 Coopertition®

FIRST also promotes the philosophy of Coopertition®, which is described as “displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. Coopertition is founded on the concept and a philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete. Coopertition involves learning from teammates. It is teaching teammates. It is learning from Mentors. And it is managing and being managed. Coopertition means competing always, but assisting and enabling others when you can.”