FIRST Tech Challenge

FIRST Tech Challenge teams (2-15 members, ages 12-18) are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format. Participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have!”

Guided by adult Coaches and Mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles (like keeping an engineering notebook), while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and sharing ideas. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year and can be programmed using a variety of languages, including Java. Teams also must raise funds, design and market their team brand, and do community outreach for which they can win awards. Participants have access to tens of millions of dollars in college scholarships. Each season concludes with Super-Regional Championships and an exciting FIRST Championship.

Students Get To

  • Learn from professional engineers
  • Build and compete with a robot of their own design
  • Learn and use sophisticated software and hardware
  • Compete and cooperate in alliances and tournaments
  • Earn a place in the World Championship
  • Qualify for over $12 million in college scholarships
I was literally dragged into FIRST, and I do mean literally. In grade 10 my high school started a FIRST robotics team. I heard it on the announcements, thought it was cool, and then just left it. My sister was the one who wanted to check it out. She thought I was crazy that I hadn’t given it much thought. The next meeting she heard about I was literally dragged from my lunch to the meeting. That has forever changed my life.
Mikaela CorneilFIRST Alumni
I worked with an amazing group of dedicated and enthusiastic high school students every day to build this years robot. And at the end of the build season it was so apparent to me the huge impact that our mentor team made on our high school participants. All of them had learned so much and had come so far, and you could see the impact that FIRST made not only on their academic plans, but in all aspects of their life. I love that I get the chance to inspire high school students through FIRST in the same way that it greatly changed and affected my life!
Olivia GodwinFIRST Alumni
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Start an Individual Team

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Find a Team

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Team Costs and Grants

Learn more about the costs to run a team, team payments and grant that could help you

Mentor Talks

Archived virtual discussion for FRC and FTC mentors.

Resources

Find all the resources to help you with your team

Need more help? Contact your local representative:

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