FIRST^® Tech Challenge has launched the 2021-2022 season game, FREIGHT FRENZY^SM presented by Raytheon Technologies, which will task students in grades 7 through 12 to build a robot that can traverse rough terrain and obstacles while transporting hard-to-move essential goods as they explore the future of transporting relief to those in need. Teams and supporters are invited to visit the new Game & Season page to unpack all the details.

The presenting sponsor for FIRST Tech Challenge FREIGHT FRENZY is Raytheon Technologies, season program sponsor is Qualcomm, and season key sponsor is PTC. FREIGHT FRENZY is part of the 2021-2022 FIRST^® season, FIRST FORWARD^SM presented by Qualcomm. Team and Class Pack registration is open!

To help FIRST teams prepare for our transportation-inspired season, Amazon Future Engineer in partnership with FIRST^® LEGO^® League is launching two new Class Chats panels on September 29 and October 13. Moderated by FIRST Director of Education Libby Simpson, the panels feature Amazon transportation experts sharing details on their complex transportation process and how they use their transportation systems and resources for good in the community. Learn more and register for the webinars, which are free and open to the FIRST community.

FIRST believes that the best path toward ending the COVID-19 pandemic—and having a successful season—is through vaccination. We strongly recommend everyone who is eligible and has access to a vaccine consult with their physician and get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. Chris Rake, EVP & COO of FIRST, shares more on the Inspire blog about our planning for FIRST events and updated FIRST Robotics Competition Payment Terms providing greater flexibility .

We need the voices and perspectives of all people to solve society’s greatest science and technology challenges. Join us as we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month (through October 15) and amplify the voices and experiences of Hispanic and Latinx American FIRST students, mentors, alumni, and corporate sponsors. Read more from Dr. Janell N. Catlin, Director of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at FIRST.

By using holistic skills developed through their FIRST experiences to further their education and navigate everyday life, the Afghan Dreamers—the all-girls Afghan FIRST robotics team—are equipped to tackle even the greatest of challenges. We are proud of the incredible determination of these young women to build a better future for themselves, their community, and the world.

The team is currently participating in the FIRST Global Challenge and plans to continue learning, competing and fighting for the right to education for everyone. “Our students will take the skills they learned through competing in FIRST: to be tough, that failure is okay, to listen to others, and to find new, creative ways to help other people, as we’ve seen them do during the pandemic,” said team co-founder Roya Mahboob.

Roya shared more of the team’s story last week with MSNBC’s Morning Joe.