Outreach
The FIRST program is differet from other robotics programs in that the FIRST program does not focus all on building and programming robots. The FIRST program inspires its participants to reach out the the community and to spread the word of STEM. Outreach is a vital component of the FIRST program as teams who only build their robot will not be able to continue their journey without outreach.
At first, outreach may seem difficult and confusing, but the fundamentals are simple. Outreach is the act of spreading information about a supports cause. In robotics, teams should try to spread the information about robotics and the FIRST program. During these outreach events, team should not only talk about STEM, but also try to inspire others to join STEM. A helpful hint in being more likely to be nominated for awards is to inspire those who are younger than the team members, as those younger are the next generation of STEM.
Here are some examples of outreach if you are at a loss of what to do:
- Hold scrimmages with other teams
- Hold camps for youngsters
- Participate in local STEM events
- Hold informational meetings
We hope that you have a fun experience in reaching out to the community.