updated 11/8/2022
In an effort to recognize the leadership and dedication of the most outstanding secondary school students in FIRST®, the Kamen family sponsors awards for selected 10th or 11th grade* students known as the FIRST® **Robotics Competition and the FIRST® **Tech Challenge FIRST Dean’s List Award.
Similar to the very prestigious National Merit Scholarship Award, there are three (3) levels of FIRST Dean’s List Award students.
The students who earn FIRST Dean’s List status as either a Semi-finalist, Finalist or Winner, are great examples of current student leaders who have led their teams and communities to increased awareness for FIRST and its mission while achieving personal technical expertise and accomplishment. It is FIRST’s goal that all Dean’s List Semi-Finalists, Finalists and Winners will continue on, post award, as great leaders of FIRST’s ever growing student alumni.
Since its introduction in 2010, the FIRST Dean’s List Award has attracted the attention of prestigious colleges and universities who desire to have FIRST Dean’s List students apply for admissions. As FIRST believes such interest is beneficial to our students, those students selected as Finalists and Winners will be asked to provide written consent for the release and use of certain personal information, including image, to interested colleges/universities for the sole purpose of allowing those institutions to contact the students if they wish. Colleges/universities have expressed interest in meeting FIRST Dean’s List Award Winners and FIRST hopes that each team will take advantage of the opportunity to nominate two of their best students as FIRST Dean’s list Semi-finalists.
After careful review of the criteria for the Dean’s List Award, each team is invited to nominate up to two student members as Semi-finalists who are 10th or 11th grade students. It’s important that teams nominate only those students they believe are truly deserving of this honor. Students who are in the 10th and 11th grade that mentor the team (and do not actively participate as members of the team) are not eligible.
A mentor, who is not related to either of the students chosen as the team’s Dean’s List Semi-finalists, shall complete and submit the application in the Team Registration System to compete for the FIRST Dean’s List Finalist designation. Students previously selected as FIRST Dean’s List Semi-finalists or Finalists in a prior year are eligible for nomination again this year provided they meet all of the criteria.
Please note: By making a submission, the Submitter irrevocably grants FIRST and FIRST designees the right to use any or all of the submission in any and all media for the purpose of describing the submission, describing the award, and/or otherwise promoting FIRST and FIRST programs.
To be nominated and to receive an interview, students MUST have a signed FIRST Consent and Release form. Students with a FIRST Dashboard account and a signed Consent and Release form in their profile can be selected in the drop-down list in the nomination portal. If the student does not have a signed form in their account, or does not have an account, mentors may check off a new checkbox acknowledging that they have a signed paper copy of the FIRST Consent and Release form before submitting. Paper forms may be acquired by reaching out to your local leadership. Please see the Interview Process section below for information on submitting the paper form.
For more information about submitting for the Dean's List Award, writing an essay and preparing for an interview, please view the FIRST Robotics Competition Dean's List Award Guide.