It's about changing the culture.
Technology has changed culture in inmeasurable ways. The human race's incessant pushing of the technological envelope has, for many of us (read: the first world), trivialized what used to be the central struggle of life: obtaining sustenance, shelter, and other such boring things. Life is so easy now, we spend most of our time entertaining ourselves (see: "information economy"): Keeping up with the Joneses, fawning over the simulacra of celebrity, buying things, popping anti-depressants, and going berzerk about whether
your professional sports team is going to beat
their professional sports team. All of these wonderful diversions are the product of engineers, scientists, mathematicians and other such persons educated in useful things. FIRST is about altering society to pay more respect to the person who designs and keeps images flowing to the (Bigger! Flatter! Crisper!) glowing box, as oppose the the flavor of the minute refelected in phosphor (or hey, Plasma!). Inspiring young people is in and of itself desirable, and conducive to this cultural change.
Nerd Powa!