FIRST Robotics and ITT Technical Institutes
What is FIRST Robotics? Vision "To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders. - Dean Kamen, Founder Mission Our mission i is to inspire i young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
What is FIRST Robotics? For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
What is FIRST Robotics? Founded in 1989 by inventor and physicist Dean Kamen Headquartered in Manchester, NH 501(c)(3) public charity Over 90,000 volunteers Supported dby over 3500 3,500 corporations, educational and professional institutions, and individuals
What is FIRST Robotics? Programs: FIRST Robotics Competition for Grades 9-12 (ages 14-18) FIRST Tech Challenge for Grades 9-12 (ages 14-18) FIRST LEGO League for Grades 4-8 (ages 9-16; 9-14 in the U.S. and Canada) Junior FIRST LEGO League for Grades K-3 (ages 6-9) FIRST Place for ages 6 to adult
What is FIRST Robotics? 2011 Scholarship Program: More than $14 million in college scholarships hi 888 individual offerings 134 scholarship pproviders
FIRST Values Gracious Professionalism TM Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST National Advisor and Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, coined the term Gracious Professionalism TM. Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. 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 sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended.
FIRST Values Coopertition TM Coopertition TM produces innovation. At FIRST, Coopertition is 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.
Impact Recently, Brandeis University s Center for Youth and Communities conducted an independent, retrospective survey of FIRST Robotics Competition participants and compared results to a group of non-first students with similar backgrounds and academic experiences, including math and science. When compared with the comparison group, FIRST students are: More than 3 times as likely to major specifically in engineering Roughly 10 times as likely to have had an apprenticeship, internship, or co-op job in their freshman year of college Significantly more likely to expect to achieve a post graduate degree More than twice as likely to expect to pursue a career in science and technology Nearly 4 times as likely to expect to pursue a career specifically in engineering More than twice as likely to volunteer in their communities
Impact
Why we participate FIRST is directly involved with key strategic audiences: High school students and their families High school centers of influence Employers
Why we participate AND it demonstrates we give back to our community!
How ITT Technical Institutes participate The ITT Technical Institutes can participate in FIRST by matching the strengths of the school with the FIRST situation in the community. This can be accomplished in four different ways: Team sponsorship Team mentoring Team/Sponsor recruiting Regional sponsorship/participation
How ITT Technical Institutes participate Team sponsorship: attending team meetings, supporting the team socially as well as financially Team mentoring: working in-depth with the team on their robot, providing coaching and instruction ti Team/Sponsor recruiting: calling on prospective high schools and sponsors for financial and mentoring assistance; no actual team involvement Regional sponsorship/participation: working only at the regional level Regional sponsorship/participation: working only at the regional level and calling on regional teams to promote the FIRST Scholarship at the ITT Technical Institutes
Why ITT Technical Institutes participate The more time we spend with a target audience, such as prospective students or high school centers of influence, the more we are able to develop credibility and influence within the relationship.
Why ITT Technical Institutes participate The more time we spend with a target audience, such as prospective students or high school centers of influence, the more we are able to develop credibility and influence within the relationship.
Getting started Contact Communications at HQ Identify local opportunities (http://www.usfirst.org/whatsgoingon.aspx) g g p Asses your community s needs
Getting started Create your plan: Asses what resources you can make available Make a commitment Involve people in all areas of the school
FIRST Scholarship To further the goals of FIRST, each participating ITT Technical Institute intends to award one scholarship annually to a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) or FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) participant in the FIRST Region. The scholarship award will be in the amount of $18,000 ($9,000 per year) to be applied toward any associate degree program offered at the school.