Jamie Usher is the principal at Belize High School and mentor for FIRST^® Robotics Competition team 9244 “Team Belize.” She has been involved with FIRST since the program was established in Belize in 2018, and she has been weaving FIRST Core Values into her school ever since. 

“In my experience, [many students] are generally reluctant to try new things, but access to a program like FIRST has formed a safe place not only to fail but keep them focused and motivated,” she said. “Additionally, with the [Core Values] like Coopertition^® and inclusion, FIRST students naturally become fantastic human beings.”

Read more about Jamie’s career and impact on the Community blog >>

FIRST recently announced the election of “Grace” Jinliu Wang, president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at WPI, to the the organization’s Board of Directors. “We’re thrilled to welcome Grace Wang, a driven STEM leader whose storied career spans engineering research, education, and innovation,” said Kelly Ortberg, FIRST Board Chairman.

Read more about Grace Wang in the FIRST press room >>

FIRST Robotics Competition Team 2080 “Torbotics” spent 14 months designing, prototyping, and iterating fully functional "robot arms" for five-year-old Mackenzie Burleson who was born with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). 

“I am sincerely impressed with the amount of thought, the amount of energy and the amount of time that has gone into making my girl’s day just a little easier,” said Bryan Burleson. “The fact that this is a group of young men and women that are in high school is just unbelievable."

Read more about this inspiring story on Hammondstar.com >>

As part of our commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community for all our participants, we have partnered with leading organizations to create complimentary trainings on how you can inspire the youth voice, create a sense of belonging, and more. 

Learn more about our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Training & Resources >>