FIRST® and Futures Partner to Provide Scholarships to a New Generation of a Talent

Pearson Futures

Pearson Futures and FIRST® have partnered to help high school students find and access the scholarships they can use to secure the academic programs that will help them land promising STEM careers.

What is FIRST?

FIRST is the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit focused on increasing K12 students’ exposure to and engagement with the world of STEM via impressive robotics programs and competitions.

Think of FIRST programs, which start at the local level via schools and clubs and culminate at large national and global events, as the world’s largest Sport of the Mind™. And unlike other sports – every student that takes part can go pro in it because of the massive demand for STEM education.

The organization was founded in 1989 by a renowned inventor and entrepreneur who wanted to help motivate new generations of talent to become leaders in science and technology.

Since that time, FIRST programs have reached more than 3.2 million students across more than 100 countries. Each year more than half a million students participate in FIRST events.

Why should FIRST matter to you?

  1. Explore STEM in a fun and engaging way - The primary goal of FIRST is to make meaningful and fun STEM experiences available to every student in every school around the world. FIRST prioritizes expanding young people’s horizons by showing them career possibilities in STEM.
  2. Gain super-valuable and valued skills - The skill-building that happens via FIRST gives students a competitive advantage as they get started in life. The skills they gain via the clubs and competitions – skills like math, engineering, and coding, as well as teamwork, leadership, and communication – provide them with the foundation to explore a wide array of careers and post-high school options.
  3. Network with businesses and professionals - Because of all the valuable skills and experiences available through FIRST, there is a long line of businesses eager to support teams and engage with students as they learn. FIRST teams are supported by local companies (representing a broad array of industries like technology, manufacturing, aerospace, medtech, and more) and professionals from those industries. FIRST competitions give students their first real chance to be mentored by a professional from a company and learn about the business in an authentic way. Businesses see these clubs and competitions as a way to start recruiting a new generation of talent.
  4. Scholarships and other opportunities to help them get started - FIRST knows that one of the biggest barriers to entering lucrative STEM careers is often the cost of education. To address this challenge, FIRST partners with hundreds of scholarship-providing organizations, which offer thousands of post-secondary scholarship opportunities each year. Now FIRST has partnered with Pearson to help students gain access to scholarships that can help them make their dreams a reality.

The FIRST Scholarships Portal Powered by Pearson – Now Available on Futures.

FIRST and Pearson partnered to enhance and expand the FIRST Scholarship Program. Started by a handful of colleges/universities over 30 years ago, the program now includes more than 150 postsecondary institutions and businesses.

The goal of the partnership is to reach more students, ensuring they are connected with the resources and opportunities they can use to get started building a solid foundation.

In addition to the scholarships that are coming from FIRST, Pearson is also expanding the funding opportunities via other partners. We are developing a large list of scholarships, supported by colleges, businesses, and other partners, to help students get the financial help they need to attend the programs and colleges they want. The Scholarships Portal will be free and available to all students who are 16+.

More about our partnership

And finally, FIRST students, alumni and educators will soon gain access to industry-recognized digital credentials through Credly by Pearson. This partnership helps learners align to the needs of today’s employers by validating the real-world skills developed through FIRST programs and competitions. By recognizing these competencies with portable, verifiable badges, Pearson and FIRST will help students showcase their achievements and stand out in a competitive job market.

To discover FIRST partner scholarships on Pearson Futures, visit Find Scholarships to identify the right opportunity for you.