Just announced at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, Lucasfilm and parent company Disney, and the global K-12 nonprofit organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) are teaming up to inspire the next generation of heroes and innovators. As part of their Star Wars: Force for Change philanthropic initiative, Disney and Lucasfilm are providing a $1.5 million donation, in-kind, and mentorship resources to help expand access to FIRST programs for more students globally, with a focus on underserved communities.
“Star Wars has always inspired young people to look past what is and imagine a world beyond,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “It is crucial that we pass on the importance of science and technology to young people -- they will be the ones who will have to confront the global challenges that lie ahead. To support this effort, Lucasfilm and Disney are teaming up with FIRST to bring learning opportunities and mentorship to the next generation of innovators.”
In a video played during the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago, the legendary Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) announced the new collaboration -- as well as a Twitter sweepstakes for a chance to win a vacation to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort, to help spread awareness of FIRST. This vacation will also include a guided tour by a Disney Imagineer throughout the all-new land. Visit the official Star Wars Twitter account at twitter.com/starwars and retweet the announce video with #StarWarsFFCSweepstakes between April 13-22 to enter. You can watch the video above, which also features FIRST mentors and students discussing the impact of the community on their lives, from learning problem-solving skills, to teamwork, to the art and science of robotics design.
As a robotics community, FIRST has inspired millions of students and provided opportunities that prepared young people for the future. Each year, more than 600,000 students participate in team-based, mentor-guided FIRST programs in 100+ countries around the world, building confidence in STEM and growing into well-rounded, community-focused leaders of the future.
“Disney has been a long-time supporter of FIRST, providing mentorship, support and even hosting our FIRST Championship event over the years.” said Donald E. Bossi, president of FIRST. “This is an incredible opportunity to bring together world-class Star Wars storytellers and engineers, their passionate fans, and the innovative, inspirational community of FIRST to expand access to our programs and raise a generation of global STEM citizens.”
Stay tuned to StarWars.com for more on Star Wars: Force for Change and this new collaboration with FIRST.
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NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter Sweepstakes between 4/13/19 at 8:00 AM PDT and 4/22/19 at 11:59 PM PDT. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., Puerto Rico and Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 13+ at time of entry. Limit 1 entry per person. Visit https://starwars.com/FFCsweeps for Official Rules including details on how to enter, eligibility requirements, odds of winning, prize descriptions and limitations. Void in Quebec and where prohibited. Sponsor: Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, 1110 Gorgas Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129.
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