What’s FIRST?

For students aged 6-18, it’s the hardest fun you’ll ever have. For team Mentors, Coaches, and Volunteers, it’s the most rewarding adventure you’ll ever undertake. For Sponsors, it’s the most enlightened investment you could ever make. FIRST is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization devoted to helping young people discover and develop a passion for science, engineering, technology, and math. Founded over 20 years ago by inventor Dean Kamen, the 2011-2012 FIRST season attracted close to 300,000 youth and more than 100,000 Mentors, Coaches, and Volunteers from 60+ countries. The annual programs culminate in an international robotics competition and celebration where teams win recognition, gain self confidence, develop people and life skills, make new friends, and perhaps discover an unforeseen career path.

To Volunteer please contact Dannica Price at 509-963-2135 or price@cwu.edu

Visit the FIRST @ CWU Facebook page to stay connected!

Media Coverage

Daily Record
     • Robot league gets kids engaged with science and technology
     • Robotics team does well
     • Robots battle at CWU
     • Robots Rumble

KIMA TV
     • Ellensburg Robotics

KTVZ
     • Bend robotics team wins regional tournament

The Chronicle
     • W.F. West Robotic Team To Compete In Ellensburg

KAPP/KVEW TV
     • Students Test Frisbee Throwing Bots

The Wenatchee World
     • Robotics team advances

Goldendale Sentinal
     • Goldendale robotics class earns trip to St. Louis

GoSkagit.com
     • Learning comes FIRST in robotics at MVHS

99.3 FM/1280 AM NEWS TALK KIT
     • The Central FIRST Contest and More on The Mike Bastinelli Show

Social Media

FIRSTWA Youtube Channel
     • FRC Central Washington Regional Awards Ceremony

FIRSTWA Media Crew flickr
     • 2013 Saturday Central WA FRC Regional

Washington FIRST Robotics Facebook
     • FIRST Robotics Competition Central Washington Regional

Chief Delphi Forums
     • Central Washington Recap/Thanks

Central Washington Regional UStream

TheRedAlliance.com @FIRST_Robotics Twitter Feed

Web Coverage 

US FIRST Blog
     • Doing the Right Thing

Pacific Northwest AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)
     • FIRST Robotics Central Washington Regional: Judges Needed

Stealth Robotics Team Page

CV Bears Team Page

High Desert Droids    
     • High Desert Droids Earns Regional Winner Award

Viking Robotics Team Page

Skunkworks Robotics News

The Blue Alliance

Lake Monsters Robotics

FIRST Family of Programs

In FIRST LEGO League (FLL), children are immersed in real-world science and technology challenges. Teams design their own solution to a current scientific question or problem and build autonomous LEGO robots that perform a series of missions. Through their participation, children develop valuable life skills and discover exciting career possibilities while learning that they can make a positive contribution to society.

FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is designed for high-schoolers who want to compete head to head using a sports model. Teams of up to 10 students are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete on a 12 X 12’ field in an Alliance format against other teams. Robots are built using a TETRIX® platform that is reusable from year-to-year using a variety of languages. Teams, including Coaches, Mentors, and Volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as well as community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.

Dubbed a varsity Sport for the Mind,™ FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams of 25 students or more are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program a robot to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors. It’s as close to “real world” engineering as a student can get. Professional Mentors volunteer their time and talents to guide each team.

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