FIRST^® is made possible because of volunteers like you - coaching, mentoring, and creating an exciting and positive event atmosphere for our participants to learn and grow. During the FIRST ENERGIZE^SM season presented by Qualcomm, our volunteers gave more than 28 million hours to the FIRST mission and served over 668,000 youth around the world. Participants spent the year developing valuable workforce skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving while gaining insight to even more STEM careers and disciplines. Thank you for all you give to FIRST! 

Create the Future this Season with FIRST^® IN SHOW^SM presented by Qualcomm >>

Because of your commitment to making a difference as a FIRST^® volunteer, the future of FIRST is bright. As we look ahead, we are proud to share with you a preview of our new Purpose & Mission statements, which underscore our promise to build a thriving global robotics community and to remain at the very forefront of STEM education. They retain and reaffirm our core identity and the foundational principles that guide us, and refine the way we express who we are and why we exist:

Purpose: FIRST exists to prepare the young people of today for the world of tomorrow.
Mission: The mission of FIRST is to provide life-changing robotics programs that give young people the skills, confidence, and resilience to build a better world.

These statements will be updated on firstinspires.org next week. With the FIRST vision, values, and ethos of Coopertition^® and Gracious Professionalism^®, they are a commitment to our community that we will continue to grow and improve. Together, let's keep building a better future for all!

Michael has been a FIRST volunteer and team coach for 14 years. He is the proud parent of a FIRST alum, and participates in his employer’s matching gift program to support the FIRST mission. Michael wants the community to know, “investing in the youth is investing in our future. I believe FIRST is changing the world by giving students the tools and experiences they need to work together and do great things. FIRST is a life-changing experience for students as well as coaches, mentors, and volunteers. FIRST has made me a better person.” 

Join Michael as a match supporter and see if your employer participates in matching volunteer hours and/or donor dollars to double your impact. 

Giving to FIRST: Meet Mike >>

We are excited to share the 21 FIRST AmeriCorps members serving at eight sites across the country this year. FIRST AmeriCorps members serve in a part-time capacity in schools and community settings that are participating in FIRST. They support the expansion of the FIRST mission through coaching and mentoring, program support, and school district support. Our AmeriCorps members began their service in August and September of 2023, traveling to FIRST Headquarters in Manchester, New Hampshire, for training from the FIRST education team. Our AmeriCorps members will serve their local schools and communities until June 2024. 

Learn more about our 2023-24 AmeriCorps members >>

What does a Judge do at a FIRST event? Volunteering as a judge at a FIRST event is a rewarding and impactful experience! A FIRST Judge gets to hear first-hand from students about their season experience and accomplishments. They interview teams and take part in a judge panel to make key decisions on award recipients. Judges also serve as mentors and role models for team members, motivating them with useful feedback. Anyone can volunteer as a judge, no matter their prior experience with FIRST.  

Learn more about Event Volunteer Roles >>

Did you know that you can log your event volunteer hours from an official FIRST event in the Volunteer Registration system? If you are volunteering to service requirements at your educational institution, employer, or another organization, this feature will assist you in verifying your hours.   

Check it out by logging into your FIRST Dashboard and following these steps: 

• Click on “Hello, Your Name” in the upper right-hand corner. 
• Select “My Profile” from the drop-down menu. 
• Select “Volunteer Log Hours” from the menu on the left. 
• Refer to page 12 of the Volunteer Registration User Guide for more information. 

You can only log and edit for the current season. These hours will be saved and available to view in future seasons and can be sorted by program and season. Participation history can be printed or saved as a PDF by clicking the “Print History” button.