Science has always mattered to those of us old enough to realize how much society has achieved in a relatively short amount of time. The question becomes: are we creating a culture to ensure that the hearts and minds of those generations after us will come to understand how valuable science really is?

In the ‘50’s, it was alien beings, decoder rings and a way to Mars that would light up our eyes and capture our minds in such a way that gave flight to the imagination that would eventually fuel NASA and the Apollo missions. In the ‘60’s, the generation that created Woodstock inspired our collective conscious to change the culture in ways we still feel today. Two very different eras, tied together by the lasting changes we’ve witnessed in subsequent decades, but also by a groundswell of people who were inspired to allow their imaginations to bring their future into shape.

Today as technology is woven into the very fabric of our day-to-day lives both in terms of our activities and our quality of life, we know that there is no way that our society can continue to solve problems, realize opportunities and shape the future without instilling people with a culture that not only embraces science, technology and mathematics but celebrates how it will enable them to innovate solutions for the myriad of new 21st century issues.

Some striking statistics suggest that America’s youth will not be prepared to competently fill or access the high skilled, high paying jobs necessary for America to compete in a global market and that their parents and grandparents are either unable or unwilling to help bridge the gap:

• In the 50 largest cities in America, only 52% of high school students are graduating (Detroit 25%; Baltimore 35%, New York and Los Angeles 45% respectively); ¹

• In 2000, only one third of 4th graders and 8th graders reached the proficient level in science for their grade with rates lower than that for 12th graders; and ²

• By 2010, the U. S. will need 20% more engineers, yet the growth rate in the number of engineering, math, and science graduates is expected to be about 2%. ³

That’s why I started FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) back in 1989. The real FIRST goal is to “change our culture” by inspiring students and connecting them with mentors and heroes who have created the incredible advancements and quality of life we have today.

At FIRST, we’ve managed to coral those uninhibited explorers of the unknown to create a groundswell of volunteers who can open up all the breathtaking vistas science can become to our kids. FIRST begets future scientists, engineers and teachers who in turn come back to the programs as mentors, advisors, volunteers…and the cycle continues.

At FIRST we really do put imagination to work. This past year, more than 72,000 volunteers inspired students worldwide by serving as FIRST engineering mentors, tournament organizers, fund raisers, judges, referees, pit supervisors, drivers, emcees and the myriad of all other roles it takes to make FIRST happen.

Our events combine the high energy of a rock concert, the competitiveness and mascots of an NCAA final four competition, the intensity and technology of the NASCAR pits, the showmanship of a Broadway play, and our unique FIRST traditions starting with a spirit of “Gracious Professionalism.”

FIRST had another record year in the 2007/08 season with approximately 156,000 young people participating on FIRST teams in hundreds of competitions around the world. The FIRST Robotics Competition game “FIRST Overdrive” saw 1,500 teams race around the track; another 800 high school teams competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge “Quad Quandary:” more than 10,000 middle school teams solved the FIRST LEGO® League “Power Puzzle” challenge; and 500 Junior FIRST LEGO League teams signed up for this new program.

In the FIRST environment, kids see science, technology and innovation as being every bit as accessible, rewarding and fun as any sport or other general activity. And, we know we have had an impact on more than just FIRST team members. FIRST is impacting the larger community even the world community according to an independent study More Than Robots: An Evaluation of the FIRST Robotics Competition Participation and Institutional Impacts (Center for Youth and Communities, Heller School for Social Policy and Managements, Brandeis University, 2002):

• 89% of FIRST alumni attended college

• 99% graduation rates of FIRST students in areas where overall dropout is high (Detroit overall dropout is 75%; New York overall dropout is 55%)

• FIRST alumni were nearly seven times as likely to become Engineering majors as the average college student nationally (41% FIRST alumni vs. 6% national average)

FIRST transforms everyone it touches. Judges learn from participants, mentors learn from teams, corporations learn and students leave wanting more.

But we need more participation and that’s were you can help. As an individual, you can become a volunteer, a mentor or enthusiastic spectator. As a parent, you can help to nurture what you, and only you, see as the early signs of interest in science and technology. As a company, you can supply resources and staff. Click this link and see if there is a robotics program in your neighborhood and please consider becoming part of the program that brings inspiration and imagination to a generation of kids who will transform the world we know today into something better.

References used for this article:

¹ 2008 Cities in Crisis: A Special Analytic Report on High School Graduation, Dr. Christopher Swanson, Education Research Center

² 2006 Science and Engineering Indicators, National Science Board, National Science Foundation

³ 2004 Science and Engineering Indicators, National Science Foundation, Science and Engineering