In this letter to the FIRST^® community, FIRST founder Dean Kamen remembers his mother, Evelyn Kamen, who recently passed away at age 96. Evelyn was a schoolteacher who raised four children and inspired hundreds of thousands more through her classrooms and her contributions to FIRST.

Join the FIRST community on January 8, 2022, for the 2022 FIRST^® Robotics Competition Kickoff presented by Ford. We’ll reveal the RAPID REACT^SM presented by The Boeing Company season game and invite special guests to celebrate. The FIRSTtv broadcast will begin at 12 noon Eastern Time on January 8. Learn more and sign up for a tune-in reminder.

Christa McAuliffe’s “Teacher in Space” legacy, reflected this year in the 2021 Christa McAuliffe Silver Dollar commemorative coin available through December 29, has inspired a new generation of educators. Kristin Jacques is a former student of Christa’s and now a fifth grade teacher in New Hampshire. On the FIRST Inspire blog, Kristin shared what inspires her and how she hopes to carry on Christa’s legacy.

At FIRST, we give the next generation of problem solvers the tools they need to make meaningful contributions to STEM fields like computer science. In celebration of Computer Science Education Week (#CSEdWeek), check out our five FIRST-inspired activities that celebrate the fun of computer science.

The Inspire the Future: FIRST Educators Recognition Program honors our commitment to recognizing the outstanding work of educators in the FIRST community and is inspired by the powerful ethos of “Teacher in Space” Christa McAuliffe who famously said, “I touch the future. I teach.” We are seeking more nominations for educators who specialize in Early Education (PreK-Grade 1). Nominate a FIRST educator by December 17.

This year, we saw incredible resilience from FIRST teams around the world. Demonstrating the ethos of Gracious Professionalism^®, students of all ages banded together to imagine, innovate, and create to improve their local communities and beyond. 

As we move forward into a new year and new season, we’re hoping to provide even more STEM resources to young changemakers around the world. Will you donate to FIRST to help empower the next generation of Gracious Professionals and innovators?

Donations will support the FIRST mission worldwide; to find local FIRST affiliates to support, check out our Local Support page.