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A Global Robotics
Community 
Preparing Young 
People for the 
Future
DISCOVER A MENTOR-BASED TEAM PROGRAM
THAT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN ROBOTS

MISSION

We’re here to provide life-changing robotics programs that give young people in DC, Maryland, and Virginia the skills, confidence, and resilience to build a better world.

Red Triangle Logo for FIRST Chesapeake
Blue Square Logo for FIRST Chesapeake
White Circle Logo for FIRST Chesapeake
FIRST Chesapeake White Logo

FIRST® inspires young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

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FIRST Chesapeake, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the official FIRST Partner Organization for FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech Challenge across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia as well as FIRST LEGO® League Explore in Maryland. 

Mentor Tim M. is assisting teammembers of Team 836 in positioning their FRC Robot on the field as part of the 2024 CRESCENDO season.

OUR PROGRAM

Mentor Based, Student Centered

GRADES 2 — 8

FIRST LEGO League Logo

3,893

Students Participating

1,793

Mentors

FIRST LEGO League participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences through a guided, global robotics program, helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together. Students engage in hands-on STEM experiences, building confidence, growing their knowledge and developing habits of learning.

FIRST Lego League Playmat in FIRST Chesapeake
Female student works on FIRST Tech Challenge robot in FIRST Chesapeake

GRADES 7 — 12

FIRST Tech Challenge Logo

1,951

Students

586

Mentors

FIRST Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.
 

GRADES 9 — 12

FIRST Robotics Competition Logo

2,778

Students Participating

944

Mentors

FIRST Robotics Competition teams design, program, and build a robot starting with a standard kit of parts and common set of rules to play in a themed head-to-head challenge. Teams also build a brand, develop community partnerships for support, and work to promote STEM in their local community.​

FIRST Robotics Competition robots in play in FIRST Chesapeake

WHY FIRST CHESAPEAKE

Inspiring young people to be science and technology leaders

We engage young people in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

IMPACT

FIRST Chesapeake in Numbers

75%

FIRST Alumni are in a STEM field as a student or professional.

2x

More likely to show gains in their interest of STEM.

95%

Teamwork skills increase.

$80m

In available scholarships.

COLLABORATION

Our Industry Partners