FIRST Tech Challenge Control Award Earned by Robotics Team

The Upper School’s robotics team, the Dragoneers (Team 607), earned the FIRST Tech Challenge Control Award following a season defined by technical growth, resilience, and innovation in competitive robotics. Competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), students spent months designing, building, programming, and refining their robot. Despite weather-related disruptions that affected meeting schedules, the team continued testing hardware, calibrating sensors, strengthening mechanical systems, and optimizing autonomous code.

The FIRST Tech Challenge Control Award recognizes teams that demonstrate advanced use of sensors and software to improve robot performance. Judges evaluate autonomous programming, control systems integration, engineering documentation, and consistent technical execution during competition matches. The award reflects precision coding, thoughtful systems design, and disciplined iteration.

Throughout the season, students maintained detailed engineering documentation to track design changes, programming adjustments, and match strategy improvements. This structured approach strengthened their technical decision-making and reinforced the importance of data-driven iteration in robotics competition.

This season marked measurable growth for the Upper School’s STEM program. Team membership nearly tripled, expanding opportunities for student leadership and mentorship. Fundraising reached record levels, supporting materials, competition entry fees, and the team’s long-term sustainability.

Participation in FIRST Tech Challenge provides hands-on experience in robotics engineering, programming, mechanical design, and sensor integration. Students engage in iterative problem solving, strategic collaboration, and applied STEM learning that extends beyond competition day. Students also develop presentation skills as they communicate their design process and technical strategy to judges, further integrating engineering knowledge with real-world application.

Earning the FIRST Tech Challenge Control Award represents both technical accomplishment and sustained dedication throughout the season. As interest in high school robotics and STEM competitions continues to grow nationwide, the Dragoneers’ performance reflects the strength and momentum of the Upper School robotics program.