We’re excited to share a new way to get in the game this season: FIRST^® Innovation Challenge presented by Qualcomm. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Qualcomm, a long-time FIRST Strategic Partner, to expand innovation programming to include all FIRST programs, ensuring all students have a pathway to invention.

In FIRST^® Tech Challenge and FIRST^® Robotics Competition, teams will have the option to participate in an all-new Innovation Challenge where they will identify a real-world problem or opportunity related to our season theme and design a solution, build a business model, and deliver a remote pitch to compete for advancement.

Join the FIRST Education team on October 21 for a discussion covering hands-on STEM learning in varied learning environments. Panelists will discuss the resources FIRST has created for the season and how we are continuing to provide education opportunities for students in this time of uncertainty. Register here.

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu recently announced the release of $1.5 million in CARES Act funds for the Education Enrichment Provider Program to support skill-building programs for NH students. This funding will allow any New Hampshire FIRST team to have their registration fee covered for the 2020-2021 season. “I’m quite passionate about the FIRST robotics program,” said Sununu. “It was founded right here in New Hampshire and is now a worldwide program — one of the most successful enrichment programs that you can find across the entire planet.”

National and global team grants are available through FIRST to support FIRST Robotics Competition team registration, which opened last week, and FIRST Tech Challenge rookie team registration. For additional local grant opportunities, check with your local Program Delivery Partner.

FIRST announced the Woodie Flowers Memorial Grant, which honors the legacy of the late Chair of the FIRST Executive Advisory Board and Distinguished Advisor to FIRST, Dr. Woodie Flowers. Funded by generous donors, a Woodie Flowers Memorial Grant will be awarded annually to one FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST Robotics Competition Dean’s List Award winner.

New on FIRST @ Home: FIRST Game Jam is a free, fun, interactive competition to build STEM skills through robotics and video game design. Hosted by FIRST Scholarship Provider Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in partnership with FIRST, the hackathon-like challenge will be to create a video game concept that celebrates FIRST and its vision and mission.

Collaboration with community-based youth-serving organizations is critical to successfully reach underserved youth with FIRST programs. In 2019, FIRST joined forces with 100 Black Men of America, Inc. to provide grants to four chapter locations to establish and support their FIRST Tech Challenge teams.