FIRST Without Borders
Mission Statement
FIRST Without Borders empowers immigrant, refugee, and underserved youth by making FIRST robotics programs and STEM education accessible. We believe curiosity should never face boundaries, nor should talent be limited by circumstance. By breaking barriers to opportunity, we inspire the next generation of innovators, leaders, and problem-solvers.
Hours
Participants
Sessions
Schools
Overview
Presentation
We will present about the FIRST program, our team, and the various technical aspects of FIRST robotics.
Learning
Different STEM topics will be taught, introducing students to new concepts and educational/career fields.
Activities
FIRST robotics kits & engineering challenge activities help students build strong technical thinking and design skills.
Demonstration
Students will have the opportunity to drive our state champion robot and learn about its development process.
Partner Organizations
About
Rishan Chakraborty, Founder
Hello! My name is Rishan, and I’ve been a member of Overcharged since 2024.
My journey with FIRST began in kindergarten as a competitor in Junior FIRST LEGO League and continued through 5th grade with FIRST LEGO League. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, FIRST competitions were disrupted.
Once COVID had subsided, I decided to join FIRST Tech Challenge team 12599 Overcharged, rediscovering my passion for robotics competitions. Last year, I served as a programming lead for the team. This year, as both a programming lead and co-captain, I wanted to take initiative by launching an outreach program focused on exposing immigrant, refugee, and underserved communities to FIRST robotics programs.
Having previously volunteered with IRCO to teach STEM topics to elementary school students from immigrant families, I understood how much of a difference STEM opportunities can make. I wanted to expand upon that impact by introducing hands-on engineering through FIRST robotics.
That’s why I started FIRST Without Borders. I hope that through this initiative, more students and their families can discover the opportunities FIRST has to offer, build confidence in STEM subjects, and understand that robotics is a place where everyone belongs.
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