Mahogany Squad and Ark of the RiverFTC Team #17628 and #24387
FIRST Tech Challenge is a robotics competition for students in grades 7–12. Teams design, build, program, and compete with robots — all in one season.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989. Its mission: transform culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated.
FIRST runs 3 programs by age group: FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition. Over 680,000 students in 110+ countries participate every year.
Every FTC match is 2 minutes 30 seconds and split into three phases.
The robot runs entirely on pre-programmed code with no driver input. Teams score big points by completing complex tasks automatically like placing game elements or other scoring other objects on the field.
Click a subsystem to learn what it does.
FTC isn't just about winning matches — judged awards recognize the full team effort.
Best all-around team in all award categories including, engineering, outreach, and values combined. This award advances teams to the next competition.
Best software strategy, programming innovation, and autonomous performance.
Most creative and unique hardware or mechanical solution on the robot.
Best community partnerships and connections with STEM professionals.
Best team culture, spirit, and effort to spread FIRST to the community.
Best use of sensors, software, and autonomous control systems.
FIRST unveils the new game challenge worldwide. Teams watch the kickoff stream and immediately start strategizing.
Teams prototype mechanisms, iterate on CAD designs, write autonomous code, and build their robot.
Local qualifier tournaments begin. Teams compete in matches and present to judges for awards.
Top teams from qualifiers advance to a larger championship event.
Elite teams from around the world compete in Houston. The ultimate stage in FTC.
Oak Grove Robotics has competed at the highest level — including the World Championship. Check out our story, achievements, and tutorials.