What is FIRST® [FLL, FRC, FTC]?

FIRST® is an acronym for For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology.  It was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen to inspire youth to get involved in science and technology.  Since then, FIRST® has grown to become an international presence for youth in science and technology.

{YEL!} offers summer camps and after school classes for students in first through 8th grade.  Our Junior Robotics class for first through fifth graders is a great introduction to programming and engineering basics.  Our Robotics Evolution class is a fantastic primer for students interested in joining or starting a FIRST® LEGO® League team.

FIRST® offers annual robotics competitions in three divisions:

• FIRST® LEGO® League [FLL] for students in grades 4-8.

• FIRST® Tech Challenge [FTC] for students in grades 7-12.

• FIRST® Robotics Challenge [FRC] for students in grades 9-12.

What goes into each division?

FIRST® LEGO® League [FLL]

I’ve coached FIRST® LEGO® League teams for 5 years and enjoyed a lot of success, a lot of stress, a lot of joy, a lot of time with my children, a lot of education and understanding about what makes kids tick.  My children enjoyed their time in FLL, learned a ton about team work, the world around them, doing big projects and presentations and they are looking forward to being on high school FIRST® Robotics Challenge teams in the future.

Basics

• • FIRST® LEGO® League is for students in grades 4-8.
  • FLL teams are usually comprised of 4-10 students.  In my five years as a coach, I’d say the optimal size is 6-8.  Anymore than that and you run out of things to do.  In teams that have only 4-5 kiddos, I’ve found there is too much for the kids to do well.
  • FLL is an annual robotics competition.  A different challenge is issued in August each year.

Equipment

• FLL kits are purchased from LEGOEducation.com and cost around $500.  Participation fees are additional and may range from $100-300 depending on the organizers.

Competition & Events

• FLL has core components that teams are judged on.
  • Core Values – How the team incorporates the FIRST® Core Values.
  • Robot Game – How the robot scores during the robot game.
  • Robot Programming and Construction – What went into the design, construction, strategy and programming of the team’s robot.
  • Project Presentation – Students are asked to give a roughly three minute presentation on something they have done to learn more about the world or change the world for the better.  For instance: 1) A VR device for autistic children to learn social situations; 2) A video on how kids can properly dispose of garbage; 3) Constructing a website to make it easier for pet owners to manage adopted pets and find helpful resources instead of returning the pets to shelters.
• FLL team competitions are typically full day competitions that take place at area schools.

Organization

• FLL teams are typically parent lead.
• FLL teams are often organized by a group of parents, but can also be organized by community organizations or schools.

• FLL does now have a younger division for kiddos age 6-10.  It is relatively new and is still gaining traction.

FIRST® Tech Challenge [FTC]

Basics

• FIRST® Tech Challenge is for students in grades 7-12.
• FTC, like FLL, is an annual robotics competition.  A different challenge is issued each year.
• FTC is comprised of up to 15 teammates.  Teammates are often given specific assignments.  For instance, 2-3 are in charge of building the chassis; 2-3 in charge of building arms and extensions; 2-3 in charge of electronics; 2-3 in charge of programming; 2-3 in charge of fundraising, marketing, and promotion.

Equipment

• FTC start up costs are more expensive than FLL.  An FTC Start Up Kit can be purchased from Pitsco and can vary based on how much a coach wants his or her team to invest.
  • The total investment may range from $500-2,000.

Competition & Events

• FTC, unlike FLL, does NOT have a project presentation.  Honestly, I know of a lot of boys that are happy to just focus on construction and programming.
  • FTC teams create alliances with other teams on competition day.  Those teams work together to score more points during the competition.

Organization

• FTC teams are typically parent or school lead.

FIRST® Robotics Challenge [FRC]

Basics

• FIRST® Robotics Challenge is for students in grades 9-12.
• FRC, like FLL and FTC, is an annual robotics competition.  A different challenge is issued each year.
• FRC is comprised of as many teammates as teams can get.  Some have 15, some 20…I’ve even heard of some teams having 80 kids.  Think of it as a mini-corporation for high schoolers.  Each team member has to pull their own weight.
  • Many FRC students participate in multiple activities and miss some FRC practices.  For instance, some can be on the fencing team and on the robotics team.  It’s a balancing act with parent schedules, student homework, etc., but can be very rewarding to do athletic and academic extracurricular activities.

Equipment

• FRC start up costs can be incredibly expensive.  Some teams raise $30,000 for their robot.
  • For that reason, a lot of schools decide to sponsor FTC teams instead of FRC because they can do it at a fraction of the cost.
  • Often, large corporations sponsor local FRC teams.  This is a fantastic investment for those companies in their future workforce.

Competition & Events

• FRC is similar to FTC in that it is a full day event and teams can create alliances the day of the event.
• FRC teams, unlike FLL, can participate in multiple events.  So the team can compete once early in the season, make changes, and participate in a different event later in the season. 

Organization

• FRC teams are almost always school lead.  Usually the technology coach puts in very long days during the season.
  • It can also be noted that at this age, the team can often (and are encouraged to) lead themselves.  The coach may become more of a facilitator who coordinates the students running as much of the team activities as possible.

Take Aways

Kids who participate on these teams, particularly FRC, are highly sought after by colleges and employers.  I have heard multiple stories about students who were recruited to colleges and jobs due in large part because they have FRC, FTC or FLL on their resumes and applications.  If your child is interested in tech, teams, science, or robotics, I strongly encourage you to look into launching an FLL team or going to your school to investigate options for FTC and FRC teams.

{YEL!} believes that introducing youth to robotics programs can pay big dividends for a child’s future professional career.  Read more at Five Reasons Youth Robotics Education is Important.