Why Should My Class Compete?

FIRST^® LEGO League (FLL) is an international program for 9 to 14 year-old students (9 to 16 outside the U.S. and Canada) created in a partnership between FIRST and The LEGO^® Group in 1998 to get students excited about science and technology – and teach them valuable employment and life skills.

Using the LEGO MINDSTORMS^® robotic system and LEGO Education materials, students work alongside adult mentors to design, build, and program autonomous robots and create an innovative solution to a problem as part of their research project.

After eight intense weeks, the competition season culminates at high-energy, sports-like tournaments. Like any other organized “sport,” teams also fundraise, create a team identity, and go on field trips.

With an age-appropriate challenge based on the same theme as that of the FIRST LEGO League, the Junior FIRST^® LEGO^® League (Jr.FLL™) program introduces 6 to 9 year-olds to the wonders of science and technology as they build models and create a poster depicting their research journey. Teams may showcase their successes at locally-organized events.

Research has shown that the FIRST program provides positive impacts on participants, including:

• increased interest in and understanding of science and technology; improved attitudes towards education; and improved life and workplace-related skills;
• offers the kinds of experiences recommended by research on positive youth development, such as opportunities for skill building; youth decision-making and responsibility; and integration of family, school, and community; and
• through their involvement in FIRST, participants also apply Core Values and learn to make positive contributions to society.