This week, the Missouri STEM Alliance met with KC STEM Alliance leadership to continue refining our plan as the 2026 legislative session looms closer. After consultation with the KC STEM Alliance and because of conflicts with other organizations, the Show-Me STEM Alliance (this group right here) has decided to change our organization's name to the Missouri STEM Alliance. Aside from simply clearing up confusion with other organizations, this change also illustrates another part of our ever-expanding mission. While our primary initiative is working to pass the FIRST Act in the upcoming Missouri Legislative Session, we also believe this organization has the opportunity to become a special group in the ongoing work to build a greater STEM community going forward. The networks we build today are the foundations of something great tomorrow. Stay tuned as always!

The question of "Why FIRST" is one we get fairly frequently. Our reasoning behind seeking funding for specifically FIRST programs through this initiative is twofold - prioritizing one robotics organization over others allows us to standardize programs across the state, more easily allowing for state wide competition and camaraderie. FIRST was our natural choice over programs like VEX as well because of their offerings at all three levels of public schools; FLL programs work well for elementary, FTC for Middle/Junior high, and FRC for high schools. This kind of standardization will also put robotics as a sport on the road to official adoption/recognition by state athletic organizations like MSHSAA. The second reason is one that many mentors who have tried securing team funding know all too well - when funding is earmarked for more grand initiatives like "STEM" or "robotics teams" districts and school authorities are left to their own devices when deciding where specific funding goes. By making this program so specific, we can ensure that funds approved for competitive (meaning teams that engage in competitions) robotics teams actually go to teams, and not just general school STEM initiatives (which while important, are not the focus of this effort).