Bedford Academy was recently selected as a member of the 2026 Inspire the Future: FIRST Recognition Program School cohort. Courtesy photo/Bedford Academy

BEDFORD – Bedford Academy was recently selected as a member of the 2026 Inspire the Future: FIRST Recognition Program School cohort.

It is one of 15 schools from the U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Turkey to be recognized in this way for its commitment to expanding access to FIRST programs.

“Bedford Academy is overwhelmed to be one of the schools selected by FIRST from across the globe for this honor. This recognition speaks to the dedication of our entire teaching staff to advancing student knowledge through our hands-on and multidisciplinary approach,” said Bedford Academy owner Dr. Roxanne Molina. “We intentionally plan STEAM-related activities throughout our curriculum and FIRST provides us with both practical and creative ways for students to explore these important concepts.”

Along with delivering FIRST programming for students across grade levels, Bedford Academy has participated in FIRST NH LEGO League events for several years. In December 2025, Bedford Academy’s two robotics teams qualified for the FIRST LEGO League Challenge state competition. Even as some of the youngest competitors present, these teams also competed in the innovation project portion of the event, with one team receiving the Judges’ Award at the qualifier.

Bedford Academy students in this division have won the Challenge Award, which honors the best solution to a selected problem, for the past three years.

“The entire Bedford Academy community is rooting for our second and third grade competitors,” Molina said. “The learning strides they have made in STEAM this season are amazing. They are already winners in our eyes.”