Lighting Science Group has signed an agreement on reselling the company’s A19 LED bulbs with FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a not-for-profit public charity founded by inventor Dean Kamen, strives to cultivate young people’s interest and participation in science, technology, engineering and math.

The agreement encourages FIRST middle school and high-school students to sell LED bulbs, produced by Lighting Science Group, in their home communities.

A modern-day twist on traditional fundraising methods, the program aims to raise funds for student participation in FIRST robotics competitions throughout the United States.

“When we started the FIRST Green initiatives for robotics team fundraising, we knew we were onto something: a 21st century fundraising technique that not only helps teams become self-sustaining in the short term, but also promotes a better environment that they will someday inherit,” said Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST. ”Lighting Science Group’s new LED bulbs give the teams a new dimmable option to sell. They have the opportunity to learn about the viable ‘green’ technologies available today and strengthen their sales, marketing, and leadership skills.”

The agreement between FIRST and Lighting Science Group allows student participants to sell a bulb known within the student community as the FIRST Green e-watt saver to the general public via an online matching system. The FIRST Green e-watt saver program was started in 2010 and has become an important source of potential fundraising for nearly 20% of the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) US-based high school robotics teams.

This 2nd generation FIRST Green LED offering includes an ultra-efficient 60-watt or 40-watt equivalent A19 LED bulb that is omni-directional, dimmable, lasts an estimated 50,000 hours, and has a five-year warranty.