FIRST Alberta shares FIRST® mission, vision and core values.
Purpose
FIRST exists to prepare the young people of today for the world of tomorrow.
Mission
The mission of FIRST is to provide life-changing robotics programs that give young people the skills, confidence, and resilience to build a better world.
Vision
To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement
FIRST is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. FIRST embraces and encourages differences in race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, income, language, learning difference, or any other characteristics that make our adult-force and students unique.
FIRST Core Values
The FIRST® Core Values emphasize friendly sportsmanship, respect for the contributions of others, teamwork, learning, and community involvement and are part of our commitment to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The FIRST® Community expresses the FIRST® philosophies of Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition through our Core Values:
- Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
- Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
- Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.
- Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
- Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
- Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!
Gracious Professionalism
Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST®. It’s a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.
With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended.
Coopertition
Coopertition produces innovation. At FIRST®, Coopertition is displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. Coopertition is founded on the concept and a philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete.
Coopertition involves learning from teammates. It is teaching teammates. It is learning from mentors. And it is managing and being managed. Coopertition means competing always but assisting and enabling others when you can.