Inspiring a Love of STEM in our Youth Today, to Make Strong Leaders and Innovators Tomorrow
Ryan has been in First Lego League for several years. The experience has been a wonderful and fun opportunity to develop critical thinking and problem solving abilities, along with public speaking skills. Ryan has enjoyed learning to program and run robots, while working as part of a team. First Lego League has helped Ryan grow more confident and has kept him interested in learning and discovering.
Suzanne K., Parent
The Innovation Station is a volunteer driven, not for profit, STEM, robotics and computer programming center where students in grades K-12 can explore and expand their knowledge across a range of science and technology topics
My daughter began Lego League in the fall of her first year of school-Kindergarten. She was admittedly nervous at first but quickly was able to integrate and socialize with her peers. The opportunities presented for creative play allowed her to warm up and presented moments of interaction in which the children got to know each other. Each week the children were presented with age-appropriate challenges that began to engage the skills of teamwork, problem solving, taking turns, and creativity- it was awesome to watch them approach solutions collaboratively. Joining First Lego League through the Innovation Station has been a positive opportunity for our family, and we have loved watching our child succeed in an area where she is learning AND having fun!
Erica G., Parent
Simply put, my seven years in FIRST changed my life. Being part of these teams has introduced me to great friends, given me an introduction to the STEM field that was otherwise unheard of in the area, and fostered a love of programming and computer science that has shaped my path to college and beyond. Through competitions I learned the importance of communicating with team members, how to manage and organize time effectively, and what it really takes to be a good leader. FIRST prioritizes values that instill students with a unique blend of professionalism and competition and has helped shape countless students into leaders and learners. The opportunities I have had, all thanks to the FIRST organization, have been once in a lifetime, and were crucial in getting me to where I am today.
Gavin T., FIRST Alum
My experience with FIRST has been incredible. I have been participating in FIRST since I was in 3rd grade, beginning with FLL. Legos have always been something I enjoyed, and getting to use them in a competitive environment was so much fun. Furthermore, developing a solution to a problem, as well as presenting that solution was an excellent learning experience. After aging out of FLL, I moved on to FTC. FTC gave me the opportunity to truly experience engineering. Working with a team and preparing a robot for a competition was an experience like no other, and I loved every minute of it. It is because of my experiences in FIRST that I’ve chosen to pursue a career in robotics, I’m currently attending RPI, working towards a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, with plans to continue to a Master’s degree in Computer and Systems Engineering. FIRST has had a dramatic impact on my life, and without it, I would not be who I am today.
Will R., FIRST Alum
Being a part of FIRST has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. When I first started in fourth grade as a part of FIRST LEGO League, I learned the basics; public speaking, problem solving and analyzing risk. Not only have those skills improved over the past eight years of participation, they have also been able to help me in school and life in general. I am confident in my ability to speak to a large audience; I can come up with creative solutions to everyday problems and I am able to realize when a risk is worth it in addition to working well under pressure. These skills will be helping me now and in the future as I proceed from high school into college and eventually the workforce.
Elizabeth R., Student
Interested in signing up your child or joining our team of volunteers? Contact us!