Dear, Representative _______

I write to you today as a constituent of your district and a high school student attending (Name of School) in (city), Missouri. Today I ask you to support the following bill, “For Recognition and Inspiration of Science and Technology Act” in the coming legislative session.

FIRST is a globally recognized leader in competitive robotics programs for students in all school levels. Through their programs, students learn the fundamentals of design, collaboration, and S.T.E.M. principles that they can carry with them for life. Students who engage with these programs not only benefit from the team camaraderie that many school sports bring, but also gain a leg up in understanding in rapidly growing fields like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The data backs this up - participants in FIRST Programs are 35% more likely to declare a major in computer science or engineering than their peers and are 2x more likely to show an interest in S.T.E.M. after joining a program. Median income for these individuals also rises post-education, making on average 14.5 thousand dollars more a year in a nationally tracked study group. Unlike other school teams, FIRST teams are inherently not state or school-run, and therefore not typically funded by any form of government assistance. This provides a major burden for teams, as equipment and fees are expensive. The average season for a (FIRST Robotics Competition/FIRST Tech Challenge/FIRST Lego League) team costs around ($30,000/$3,000/$1,000). Where does this money come from? Fundraising. Luckily for schools in high-density or high-income areas affording to run these teams can be done, but for much of our great state, these programs are completely inaccessible to students. I believe that bringing these programs to more students will not only transform Missouri’s workforce of tomorrow, but also that it is our duty to provide this opportunity to all students of our state. 

More than 10 years ago Michigan began a state-run grant program for this exact purpose. Since then the number of high school teams alone has swelled from 200 to 600. Cities as small as Lake Odessa, with a population of 2,000 run teams that have the opportunity to compete on a global stage. As our federal government pours billions into developing data centers of the future, Missourians have the chance to put our students first and lead the Midwest. The benefit to Missouri is unquantifiable. With the passage of this bill attached below, our state can stop the “brain drain” and create the future right here. The average high school in Missouri spends $70,000 a year on a football team alone; an investment of five million dollars into robotics could bring so much more to students all over our state. For more information on this exciting initiative and to view our proposed bill, see the Missouri STEM Alliance website at www.mostemalliance.org. 

Dear, Representative _______

We are FLL/FTC/FRC Team (XXXX) from (Name of School) in (city), Missouri. Today we ask you to support the following bill, “For Recognition and Inspiration of Science and Technology Act” in the coming legislative session.

FIRST is a globally recognized leader in competitive robotics programs for students in all school levels. Through their programs, students learn the fundamentals of design, collaboration, and S.T.E.M. principles that they can carry with them for life. Students who engage with these programs not only benefit from the team camaraderie that many school sports bring, but also gain a leg up in understanding in rapidly growing fields like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The data backs this up - participants in FIRST Programs are 35% more likely to declare a major in computer science or engineering than their peers and are 2x more likely to show an interest in S.T.E.M. after joining a program. Median income for these individuals also rises post-education, making on average 14.5 thousand dollars more a year in a nationally tracked study group. Unlike other school teams, FIRST teams are inherently not state or school-run, and therefore not typically funded by any form of government assistance. This provides a major burden for teams, as equipment and fees are expensive. The average season for a (FIRST Robotics Competition/FIRST Tech Challenge/FIRST Lego League) team costs around ($30,000/$3,000/$1,000). Where does this money come from? Fundraising. Luckily for schools in high-density or high-income areas affording to run these teams can be done, but for much of our great state, these programs are completely inaccessible to students. We believe that bringing these programs to more students will not only transform Missouri’s workforce of tomorrow, but also that it is our duty to provide this opportunity to all students of our state. 

More than 10 years ago Michigan began a state-run grant program for this exact purpose. Since then the number of high school teams alone has swelled from 200 to 600. Cities as small as Lake Odessa, with a population of 2,000 run teams that have the opportunity to compete on a global stage. As our federal government pours billions into developing data centers of the future, Missourians have the chance to put our students first and lead the Midwest. The benefit to Missouri is unquantifiable. With the passage of this bill attached below, our state can stop the “brain drain” and create the future right here. The average high school in Missouri spends $70,000 a year on a football team alone; an investment of five million dollars into robotics could bring so much more to students all over our state. For more information on this exciting initiative and to view our proposed bill, see the Missouri STEM Alliance website at www.mostemalliance.org. 

Dear, Representative _______

I write to you today as a constituent of your district, and a volunteer who has seen the incredible impact of FIRST programs in Missouri. Today I ask you to support the following bill, “For Recognition and Inspiration of Science and Technology Act” in the coming legislative session.

FIRST is a globally recognized leader in competitive robotics programs for students in all school levels. Through their programs, students learn the fundamentals of design, collaboration, and S.T.E.M. principles that they can carry with them for life. Students who engage with these programs not only benefit from the team camaraderie that many school sports bring, but also gain a leg up in understanding in rapidly growing fields like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The data backs this up - participants in FIRST Programs are 35% more likely to declare a major in computer science or engineering than their peers and are 2x more likely to show an interest in S.T.E.M. after joining a program. Median income for these individuals also rises post-education, making on average 14.5 thousand dollars more a year in a nationally tracked study group. Unlike other school teams, FIRST teams are inherently not state or school-run, and therefore not typically funded by any form of government assistance. This provides a major burden for teams, as equipment and fees are expensive. The average season for a (FIRST Robotics Competition/FIRST Tech Challenge/FIRST Lego League) team costs around ($30,000/$3,000/$1,000). Where does this money come from? Fundraising. Luckily for schools in high-density or high-income areas affording to run these teams can be done, but for much of our great state, these programs are completely inaccessible to students. I believe that bringing these programs to more students will not only transform Missouri’s workforce of tomorrow, but also that it is our duty to provide this opportunity to all students of our state. 

More than 10 years ago Michigan began a state-run grant program for this exact purpose. Since then the number of high school teams alone has swelled from 200 to 600. Cities as small as Lake Odessa, with a population of 2,000 run teams that have the opportunity to compete on a global stage. As our federal government pours billions into developing data centers of the future, Missourians have the chance to put our students first and lead the Midwest. The benefit to Missouri is unquantifiable. With the passage of this bill attached below, our state can stop the “brain drain” and create the future right here. The average high school in Missouri spends $70,000 a year on a football team alone; an investment of five million dollars into robotics could bring so much more to students all over our state. For more information on this exciting initiative and to view our proposed bill, see the Missouri STEM Alliance website at www.mostemalliance.org. 

Dear, Representative _______

I write to you today as a constituent of your district, and a parent of a student from (Name of School) in (city), Missouri. Today I ask you to support the following bill, “For Recognition and Inspiration of Science and Technology Act” in the coming legislative session.

FIRST is a globally recognized leader in competitive robotics programs for students in all school levels. Through their programs, students learn the fundamentals of design, collaboration, and S.T.E.M. principles that they can carry with them for life. Students who engage with these programs not only benefit from the team camaraderie that many school sports bring, but also gain a leg up in understanding in rapidly growing fields like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The data backs this up - participants in FIRST Programs are 35% more likely to declare a major in computer science or engineering than their peers and are 2x more likely to show an interest in S.T.E.M. after joining a program. Median income for these individuals also rises post-education, making on average 14.5 thousand dollars more a year in a nationally tracked study group. Unlike other school teams, FIRST teams are inherently not state or school-run, and therefore not typically funded by any form of government assistance. This provides a major burden for teams, as equipment and fees are expensive. The average season for a (FIRST Robotics Competition/FIRST Tech Challenge/FIRST Lego League) team costs around ($30,000/$3,000/$1,000). Where does this money come from? Fundraising. Luckily for schools in high-density or high-income areas affording to run these teams can be done, but for much of our great state, these programs are completely inaccessible to students. I believe that bringing these programs to more students will not only transform Missouri’s workforce of tomorrow, but also that it is our duty to provide this opportunity to all students of our state. 

More than 10 years ago Michigan began a state-run grant program for this exact purpose. Since then the number of high school teams alone has swelled from 200 to 600. Cities as small as Lake Odessa, with a population of 2,000 run teams that have the opportunity to compete on a global stage. As our federal government pours billions into developing data centers of the future, Missourians have the chance to put our students first and lead the Midwest. The benefit to Missouri is unquantifiable. With the passage of this bill attached below, our state can stop the “brain drain” and create the future right here. The average high school in Missouri spends $70,000 a year on a football team alone; an investment of five million dollars into robotics could bring so much more to students all over our state. For more information on this exciting initiative and to view our proposed bill, see the Missouri STEM Alliance website at www.mostemalliance.org. 

Dear, Representative _______

I write to you today as a constituent of your district, and coach/mentor who has seen the incredible impact of FIRST programs for Missouri's students. Today I ask you to support the following bill, “For Recognition and Inspiration of Science and Technology Act” in the coming legislative session.

FIRST is a globally recognized leader in competitive robotics programs for students in all school levels. Through their programs, students learn the fundamentals of design, collaboration, and S.T.E.M. principles that they can carry with them for life. Students who engage with these programs not only benefit from the team camaraderie that many school sports bring, but also gain a leg up in understanding in rapidly growing fields like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The data backs this up - participants in FIRST Programs are 35% more likely to declare a major in computer science or engineering than their peers and are 2x more likely to show an interest in S.T.E.M. after joining a program. Median income for these individuals also rises post-education, making on average 14.5 thousand dollars more a year in a nationally tracked study group. Unlike other school teams, FIRST teams are inherently not state or school-run, and therefore not typically funded by any form of government assistance. This provides a major burden for teams, as equipment and fees are expensive. The average season for a (FIRST Robotics Competition/FIRST Tech Challenge/FIRST Lego League) team costs around ($30,000/$3,000/$1,000). Where does this money come from? Fundraising. Luckily for schools in high-density or high-income areas affording to run these teams can be done, but for much of our great state, these programs are completely inaccessible to students. I believe that bringing these programs to more students will not only transform Missouri’s workforce of tomorrow, but also that it is our duty to provide this opportunity to all students of our state. 

More than 10 years ago, Michigan began a state-run grant program for this exact purpose. Since then the number of high school teams alone has swelled from 200 to 600. Cities as small as Lake Odessa, with a population of 2,000 run teams that have the opportunity to compete on a global stage. As our federal government pours billions into developing data centers of the future, Missourians have the chance to put our students first and lead the Midwest. The benefit to Missouri is unquantifiable. With the passage of this bill attached below, our state can stop the “brain drain” and create the future right here. The average high school in Missouri spends $70,000 a year on a football team alone; an investment of five million dollars into robotics could bring so much more to students all over our state. For more information on this exciting initiative and to view our proposed bill, see the Missouri STEM Alliance website at www.mostemalliance.org. 

Hello, (Team ####)

I'm (Your Name) from team (####), a member of the Missouri STEM Alliance. We are reaching out today to see if you would be interested in joining our alliance to help us advocate for our bill, the FIRST Act, in the coming legislative session. As a member team of the Missouri STEM Alliance, you will be sent all of the necessary materials and tools to help us advocate for the FIRST programs we love, and be a part of something greater. To learn more about the FIRST Act and our 5 million dollar proposal, see our website at www.mostemalliance.org, and to join our mission, please fill out our form here - (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_oeUVFKWmXngxV8w3eGm8fOgRekeKb6KfGxdtpMgx_y1bIg/viewform)