🎓 SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Zach Stephenson 🎓 West High School senior Zach Stephenson is heading off to big things, but he leaves behind a massive legacy—including 1,300 total hours dedicated to the team (with a whopping 890 hours logged this season alone!). Zach first joined the team in early 2025 after a classmate invited him to check it out. Since then, he’s grown from a shy student with stage fright into a confident speaker who can pitch a robot to anyone. Even better? The encouragement from his mentors helped him turn his grades around, leading to his best academic year yet. Reflecting on what made the late nights in the lab so special, Zach shares: "It would usually be me, a mentor, and one or two other members just talking, having a good time late at night just trying to finish fixing something... I think that's where we developed a tightly knit team." His hard work paid off big at the Granite City regional, where the team's robot, Domino, performed incredibly well. Zach is deeply proud of the effort he put into making that machine a reality. Next up, Zach plans to attend Hawkeye Community College for two years before transferring to Iowa State University to major in Aerospace Engineering. Thank you for everything, Zach! We can't wait to watch you soar! 🚀🤖 #SeniorSpotlight #FRC #Robotics #FIRSTRobotics #ClassOf2026 #AerospaceEngineering

At Lakota Robotics, students gain hands-on experience in STEM, engineering, and robotics while building lasting friendships, learning teamwork, and creating memories that extend far beyond the competition field. #omgrobots #lakotarobotics #FIRSTRobotics #MoreThanRobots

FTC/FRC Senior Spotlight | Hunter Spitzer – West High School Join us in celebrating Hunter Spitzer, a West High senior who has spent an incredible 599 hours this season pouring his heart and soul into STEM and FIRST Robotics! ㅤ Hunter first joined the team after hearing a friend’s exciting stories about practices and meets, and he hasn't looked back since. One of his favorite highlights was the FTC State Championship—not just for the thrill of the competition, but for the camaraderie. Between the team's first overnight hotel stay and securing the 3rd Place Inspire Award, it was the perfect "breath of fresh air" after a season of hard work. ㅤ Through the "grind" of the season, Hunter says his biggest takeaway wasn't just technical; it was about the people. ㅤ "I’ve learned to work more effectively with a diverse group of people, gaining a better understanding of different perspectives and communication styles," Hunter shared. "This has helped me collaborate more openly and adapt to new ideas." ㅤ The Future is Bright: Hunter is headed to Iowa State University this fall to study Electrical Engineering with a minor in Economics. He also plans to stay involved in the robotics world by volunteering and potentially coaching a team of his own down the line! ㅤ Congratulations on an amazing 500 hour legacy, Hunter! We can't wait to see the impact you make at ISU. ❤️ #SeniorSpotlight #WaterlooSchools #WestHigh #FIRSTRobotics #STEM #ClassOf2026 #FutureEngineer

At Lakota Robotics, students do more than build robots. They build leadership skills, gain real-world experience, and develop the confidence to speak in front of groups, sponsors, and community members. #LakotaRobotics #omgrobots #STEMEducation #StudentLeadership #FIRSTRobotics

Did you know that all our mentors are volunteers 💙 From engineers and mechanics to teachers, graphic designers, and professionals from many other fields, these mentors help inspire the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. #FIRSTRobotics #omgrobots #lakotarobotics

Future #STEM engineers in action 🤖 #TEL was proud to support the 2026 #FIRSTRobotics season and the mentors helping make it happen. The robots were impressive but the people behind them are everything.

AAST Robotics is ready for the world stage After weeks of designing, building, and testing, these students earned a spot at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston. youtu.be/sCLf5wwFK4I #FIRSTRobotics #FIRSTChamp

Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 FIRST Championship! Your teamwork and ingenuity reflect the future of STEM. We are proud to invest in the leaders that will one day drive innovation and power our industries and communities. To all the teams: You inspire us. The future is bright. 🌟 #FIRSTRobotics #STEM #Innovation

I built Dum-E from Iron Man @REVrobotics #engineering #ironman #marvel #firstrobotics

Day 2 at the @FIRSTweets Championship ⚙️ More matches. More innovation. More future engineers in action! #FIRSTChampionship #FIRSTRobotics #Morethanrobots #STEM

@personaaiinc is proud to host and sponsor @TheEnergizers (Team 23417) for an exclusive office and lab tour as they prepare for the FIRST® Robotics Competition. Supporting @TheEnergizers reflects everything we value at @personaaiinc, from investing in our local community to fostering the next generation of robotics talent. These students come from Holland, home to Europe's largest shipbuilding port, and they represent industries we are transforming today with our humanoid technology. This week, @TheEnergizers will be competing alongside our local favorites, the Robonauts (Team 118), at the FIRST® Robotics Competition Championship. This global event challenges students to build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game, pushing the boundaries of engineering, teamwork, and innovation. Come meet the @personaaiinc team and join us in cheering on these incredible students as they compete for the top spot on the world stage. May the best team win! Connect with @TheEnergizers! Follow their journey to the Championship and see their latest robot builds across their official website: na2.hubs.ly/H05fHwD0 LinkedIn: @TheEnergizers Instagram: @theenergizers_23417 X (Twitter): @Robonauts118 Learn more about the FIRST® Robotics Competition: na2.hubs.ly/H05fHNc0 Discover how Persona AI is building a new generation of HUMANOIDS AT WORK™: na2.hubs.ly/H05fHnx0 #PersonaAI #HumanoidsAtWork #FIRSTRobotics #FRC #TheEnergizers #Robonauts #STEM #Robotics #FutureOfWork #AI #IndustrialRobotics #HumanoidRobots #AdvancedManufacturing #Innovation #NextGenTech #Mentorship #HoustonRobotics #Shipbuilding #Automation

CSU was proud to host the FIRST Robotics Competition Buckeye Regional at the @wolsteincenter 🤖 This year’s event brought together teams from across the globe, including “Lady Voltage,” a @CLEMetroSchools all-girl robotics team sponsored by @SherwinWilliams. With support from mentors, industry partners, CSU staff and Washkewicz College of Engineering, students gain hands-on experience in engineering, programming, business and more. Events like this help strengthen the pathway from local schools to future opportunities at CSU. Learn more about the competition: bit.ly/4sCZLLs #CleState #CMSD #ClevelandState #FIRSTRobotics #RoboticCompetition

Building a robot takes dedication and a lot of hard work—but it’s just as important to have fun along the way… and for Colin to know his mom loves him! 😂💙 #IYKYK #FRC #FIRSTRobotics #STEM #MoreThanRobots #RoboticsLife #TeamCulture #WorkHardPlayHard #lakotarobotics #omgrobots

FAMU, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering hosted the Tallahassee Regional FIRST® Robotics Competition 46 teams from around the world brought weeks of innovation, teamwork, and engineering excellence to the Al Lawson Center. #FAMU #FIRSTRobotics #STEM 📖 bit.ly/4tnSeBC

🤖The #SaddleBots are BACK! After a 2nd place finish last weekend, Regina's Robotics Team 7188 kicked off the #FIRSTRobotics State Competition at #SaginawValleyStateUniversity today! Shoutout to mentors Harold Thibodeau, Ian Plamper & Grant Tengler. Drop a 💙 to cheer them on!

Proud to support young innovators @clindcast sponsored team competed in the FIRST Robotics Competition, built a robot in 6 weeks, secured 5 wins, ranked 26/58, and became the 2nd-highest rookie team. #robotics #firstrobotics #stem #innovation #engineering #futuretech

Aluminum Assault, the robotics team from the AAST, earned the Industrial Design Award and placed 4th at the 2026 FIRST Robotics SC State Championship, securing a spot at nationals in Houston later this month. #InspiringPossibilities #FIRSTRobotics

Big news for Lakota Robotics! 🤖🎉 We’re excited to announce that we’ve qualified for the Ohio FRC State Championship on May 16th—let’s go! #FRC #FIRSTRobotics #STEM #MoreThanRobots #RoboticsLife #StateChampionship #lakotarobotics #omgrobots

We’re proud to be powered by our amazing sponsors! 💙🤖 Their support makes everything we do possible, and we’re honored to showcase their logos on our robot as a symbol of our gratitude and partnership. #FIRSTRobotics #MoreThanRobots #Sponsorship #lakotarobotics #omgrobots

#MoreThanRobots 🤖! Rocket City Regional #FIRSTRobotics Competition @FRCTeams @FirstInAlabama brings nearly 50 teams to Huntsville waff.com/2026/04/10/rocket-c…