New York State FIRST

FIRST® is the world’s leading youth robotics community, delivering programs that inspire innovation, build confidence, and prepare young people for life. Founded in 1989, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization that prepares young people for the future through a suite of welcoming, team-based robotics programs for ages 5-18 (K-12). The Hudson Valley Regional Competition at Rockland Community College brings together high-school students from across New York State and as far away as Taipei for a 3-day competition that showcases their hard work after an intense eight weeks of designing and building a 100-pound robot that completes this season’s challenge. Students are recognized for their design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship, and high-impact partnerships between schools, businesses, and communities.