FIRST Additional Learning

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 by Byron Robot

FIRST Robotics · Learning Resources

The Amount of Learning
Opportunities from FIRST
Is Truly Amazing.

This is a teacher’s dream come true. It should keep us busy for at least the next decade.

It would be impossible to outline them all here. I encourage you to go to FIRST’s website from the links below and to explore them on your own. So here goes in no particular order …

FIRST Learning Opportunities

FIRST’s 90-Hour, Two-Semester Robotics Engineering Curriculum

We have already done a post on FIRST’s 90-hour, two-semester engineering curriculum on robotics. You can view it here.

https://fc-robotics.org/2026/05/08/the-ftc-crossroads-curriculum-90-hours-of-engineering-class-free/

This Is A Really Cool Robot! Check It Out.

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 by Byron Robot

Coach Pratt · Robot Showcase This Is A Really Cool Robot!Check It Out. The Fastest Intake at DECODE? This recent video from Coach Pratt is an amazing example of what FTC teams can do. With your help maybe we can have a robot this awesome by the end of this next competition season. Watch the … Read more

BIOBUZZ Is Coming — And We’re Spending the Summer on Skill Builders

May 15, 2026May 8, 2026 by Byron Robot

FIRST just dropped the first big preview of the 2026–2027 FTC season, and our team is already making plans. The new game is called BIOBUZZ™ (presented by RTX) — part of the larger FIRST CANOPY™ season — and Kickoff is September 12, 2026. Until then, we have a whole summer in front of us. We intend to use it.

What’s different this year

This is a notable shift from how FIRST has run past seasons. Normally, the scoring element, the field, the rules, and the robot designs are all locked behind the September Kickoff event — teams find out everything at once and have a few weeks to design and build before competition. This season, FIRST is running a trial: release key foundational pieces of the game early, so teams can start practicing the fundamentals before the clock starts. We get the scoring element, a list of robot tasks, StarterBot Bases, and the Skill Builders course right now. The full game — field layout, scoring rules, alliance format, and the rest of the regulations — is still locked until Kickoff on September 12, 2026. But everything they’ve released so far is real and directly applicable; it’s not just teasers.

The Leadership Program Built into FIRST FTC

May 14, 2026May 8, 2026 by Byron Robot

Most people see FTC and think: kids build a robot. That’s the surface. Underneath, FIRST has built one of the most ambitious student leadership programs available to anyone under 18 in the country. And the most ambitious piece of that program — the part where students actually sit at tables with state legislators and … Read more

FIRST Leadership Award

May 14, 2026May 9, 2026 by Byron Robot

Student Leadership • FIRST Robotics The FIRST Leadership Award Formerly known as the Dean’s List Award, this prestigious honor recognizes exceptional students who lead, inspire, and grow STEM communities through FIRST Robotics. For many students involved in FIRST Robotics, earning the FIRST Leadership Award represents one of the highest honors available in the program. Previously … Read more

The Votes Are In: We’re Ducktape Robotics

May 15, 2026May 9, 2026 by Byron Robot

We have a name. After almost 150 brainstormed contenders, six rounds of voting, and far more debate than was probably necessary… the winner is: ★ THE WINNER ★ Ducktape Robotics 56 points · six votes · the people have spoken Yay! Go team! Quack, quack. How we got here Step one: we cast … Read more