Through hard work and dedication, FIRST^® teams and our community aced FIRST founder Dean Kamen’s previous “homework assignment” calling for advocacy to make the Christa McAuliffe Silver Dollar possible. This year, we are celebrating Christa and the teachers who inspire us all each day. In a new video, Dean calls on teams to help finish the journey and continue to advocate for the Christa McAuliffe Silver Dollar coin to get it into the hands of as many people as possible. Together, we’ll celebrate Christa’s legacy and spread the mission of FIRST by supporting sales of this 2021 coin in unique ways.

Watch and learn more about Dean’s Homework

Sixty FIRST teams from around the world have advanced to the FIRST^® Global Innovation Awards powered by Star Wars: Force for Change with their innovative solutions to improve health, fitness, and movement. Celebrate these young innovators during the awards show broadcast, Wednesday, June 30, at 2:30 pm ET on FIRSTtv on Twitch.

The 2021 FIRST Global Innovation Awards powered by Star Wars: Force for Change are also sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton, Cheddar News, Collins Aerospace, John Deere, LEGO Education, and Qualcomm and in collaboration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The FIRST students and alumni you support have used their FIRST-built skills for good during the COVID-19 crisis. They created PPE and grocery-delivery robots, found creative ways to stay connected and learn STEM virtually or from a safe distance, and more. Their acts were proof that FIRST, a 501c3 non-profit like so many others, is a meaningful long-term investment and now more important than ever.

Your continued support of FIRST ensures that our programs will remain available for all young people, when and where they're needed, now and in the future. Will you make a new investment in FIRST by donating to the FIRST Annual Fund?

The social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies that educators know are so critical to student development align with the FIRST Core Values, part of the power of our PreK-12 programs. On the Inspire blog, FIRST Education Director Elizabeth Simpson and educator Caroline Hanson share how parents, educators, and coaches can use our new, free 10-session FIRST Core Values curriculum series to engage students in SEL.

To continue to drive innovation in the transportation industry, it is essential to foster a strong, diverse workforce that is prepared to tackle significant challenges. The FIRST community is leading this charge by empowering hundreds of thousands of students worldwide to tackle the world’s most pressing issues through the 2021-2022 FIRST^® FORWARD^SM presented by Qualcomm season. Read more via TIME.

Celebrate Pride Month with exclusive Pride merch! From “Peace, Love, Robots” shirts, rainbow socks, and sticker packs, there are so many ways to show your support of the LGBTQ+ community in style. A portion of all purchase proceeds will be used to advance Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives at FIRST. Shop the FIRST Store now to pre-order your pride swag!