Winners from California; Florida; Iowa; Louisiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Missouri; New York; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Texas; Montreal, Quebec, Canada

ST. LOUIS--FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an international K-12 not-for-profit organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen, announced 20 student recipients of the Deans List Award during a ceremony at the FIRST Championship in St. Louis, Mo.

The Deans List Award recipients - FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) students nominated by their team Mentors - were chosen based on their leadership skills, commitment to FIRST ideals, contributions to their team, and their effectiveness in increasing awareness of FIRST within their schools and communities.

"I had incredible teachers who showed me the magic of science and technology by letting me do it myself. Thats what FIRST is all about," said Megan Smith, U.S. Chief Technology Officer. "You, as Deans List finalists and winners, are extraordinary leaders. You are the future of this country, and also the current awesomeness of this country."

Since its introduction in 2010, the Kamen family has sponsored the Deans List Award with the hopes that the award winners will continue on as great leaders of the FIRST Alumni community, and as advocates for the FIRST experience.

"It took me 20 years to realize that in addition to all the FIRST awards we have, we needed something to help organize and mobilize our Alumni to share this amazing experience with their peers," said Dean Kamen, founder, FIRST. "As Deans List students, thats your role. Keep your school and community involved in FIRST, and network with each other. Take this leadership role seriously so we can more quickly make FIRST available to every kid in this country and the world."

Celebrating its sixth year, the Deans List Award Ceremony featured: Karen Goudey, Senior Associate Director of Admissions, WPI; Jeremiah Quinlan, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Yale; Stu Schmill, Dean of Admissions, MIT; and Megan Smith, U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Assistant to the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy, White House.

Winners of the Deans List Award will receive a written recommendation from FIRST to the colleges or employers of their choice, and an invitation to attend an all-expense paid trip to the FIRST Deans List Award Winners Summit at FIRST Headquarters in Manchester, N.H., this summer.