FIRST Lego League Challenge & FIRST Tech Challenge Events

FIRST logo with a red triangle, white circle, and blue diamond shape all connected by the white circle and above the text of "FIRST" Founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12).

The FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge provide competitions for youth, integrating robotics with solving real-world challenges. WYSE works with volunteers, Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), and community organizations to host scrimmages, qualifying events, and the sectional competition that takes place on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus.

Volunteer at FIRST Events

FIRST Illinois Robotics Competition showing robots field with volunteer and attendees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in November 2022 — FIRST Illinois Robotics Competition with volunteers, referees, and attendees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in November 2022.

Volunteer at one of these local events to see what the excitement is all about! We always need competition judges & referees, hosts to welcome and help teams get to their various events, table re-setters to keep the robotics competition rounds running on time, and lots of hands to help with set-up before and clean-up after the event.

Volunteer opportunities will be posted on the WYSE GivePulse page close to the event date(s).

Annual events at UIUC include:

FIRST Tech Challenge Scrimmage in October or November
FIRST Lego League Qualifier in December
FIRST Lego League Sectional in January

Want to help coach or mentor a local team? Contact us at wyse@illinois.edu for more information