The Divisions

FRC - FIRST Robotics Challenge (High School) is a unique varsity sport of the mind designed to help high school students and those of a similar age discover engineering, along with the mechanics of small business.

FIRST challenges teams and their mentors to build a competition robot within six weeks using standard electronics and on a budget, but with a free range of materials. Robots weigh-in around 120 lbs and are 5 feet tall.

FIRST redefines winning for these students; they are rewarded for excellence in design, demonstrating team spirit, gracious professionalism and maturity, and the ability to overcome unforeseen obstacles. Scoring highest is a secondary goal. Winning means building partnerships that last.

FRC - FIRST Tech Challenge (Upper Middle School and High School ) teams, like Einstein's Daughters, build smaller robots out of a standard kit of parts designed and shipped by FIRST. These robots fit within an 18"x18"x18" cube and are more affordable, and accessible.

FLL - FIRST Lego League (9-14 years) teams experience an exciting global robotics program based on current, real-world issues. Each year FLL teams embark on a new Challenge released by FIRST. Guided by mentors, they build and program an autonomous robot to complete themed tasks, then research the problem themselves. They find, reasearch and solve a specific problem having to do with the theme and present their work.

FLL robots are small and affordable, and constructed from LEGO pieces.

JFLL - Junior FIRST Lego League (6-9 years) is very similar to FLL, but for younger kids. It encompasses the core concepts of all FIRST programs and introduces kids to science, technology and engineering.

JFLL teaches kids about teamwork, sparks initial interest in technology and robotics, and introduces basic design skills with the fun on LEGO building.