Thank You For Helping FIRST in Texas Create Opportunities for Texas Youth!

When we established FIRST in Texas, we could not have imagined how the community would rally behind our cause in such profound, incredible, and heartwarming ways. We are humbled by the amazing support from the corporate, foundation and individual partners and volunteers who help fuel our mission to build STEM skills and foster self-confidence, communication, and leadership in young Texans, to strengthen the school-to-STEM career pipeline and inspire the next generation of innovators.

2019 has been a fantastic year for FIRST in Texas and for the students we serve and none of this would be possible without the people and organizations who have inspired and supported us to reach higher, further, and wider. Yes, YOU! From our sponsors who help provide financial support behind the scenes to the volunteers who plant their feet on the ground and help us engage students directly, we want to say thank you!

The Data Tells A Story of Success

Let’s look at what we’ve accomplished in 2019, and celebrate those who helped us get here.

• 35,500 unduplicated Texas students were directly engaged and served.
• We saw a 12% team growth.
• More than 200 competition events were conducted.
• We are active in 243 school districts.
• 22,000+ volunteers support our students and the FIRST in Texas program.
• 33% of FIRST in Texas participants were girls, 65% are members of an underserved/underrepresented race, and 6% have one or more disabilities, and 31% of participants qualify for the free or reduced price school lunch program.
• The Brandeis University Longitudinal Study of FIRST continues to verify that students who participate in FIRST demonstrate much greater gains in STEM and 21^stCentury skills than control peers.

FIRST in Texas Financial Supporters

We are filled with overwhelming gratitude for all who make the FIRST in Texas mission possible! We want to recognize the following generous partners who have helped grow the FIRST in Texas program by nearly 50% just within the last three years.

A few examples of how our most faithful, generous statewide investors support the mission include the following: 

The Texas Workforce Commission

Texas Workforce Commission places special emphasis on underserved/underrepresented students, providing qualifying teams with grants to help pay for participation fees, equipment and other program expense – making it possible for ALL students to be a part of the exceptional FIRST in Texas program.

Dell, Inc.

Over the years, Dell has faithfully and generously provided technology and funding support, with a special emphasis on engaging girls.

National Instruments

National Instruments is another company that has stepped up to support Texas students through [first] in Texas – providing not only critical financial support, but also software and volunteers.

We invite you to take a look at the all of the ways our statewide partners support the mission of FIRST in Texas. Learn more about how your organization can become part of the growing STEM advocacy movement that is sweeping over the Lone Star State.

FIRST in Texas Mentors and Volunteers

 FIRST in Texas is an exceptionally “volunteer-rich” organization. We simply could not function without the 22,000+ mentors and volunteers in the trenches meeting with, teaching, leading and supporting the 35,500 students engaged in the FIRST program. Words cannot adequately express how much we appreciate the many hours you dedicate to your students. THANK YOU!!

Let’s Keep Making an Impact

 FIRST is changing lives. Students are building critical life skills, engaging with science and mathematics, and gaining the skills that they need to join and help make a difference in the Texas, American and global workforce. Our mission doesn’t stop here. We are going to continue to grow until every Texas student has the skills, experience and opportunity to reach for the stars. Thank you all for helping make the FIRST in Texas mission a reality!