WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — There was booming music, a conga line and even a professional archaeologist on hand to answer questions. For about an hour, middle and high school students milled about, nervously checking phones as the clock ticked down.
For all the hoopla and dancing, they were all there for one thing. And at that moment, the thing was covered by a large blue tarp off to the side of the stage.
“Are you ready? I think it’s time!” exclaimed Debra Cox, the director of strategy and development for GeorgiaFIRST Robotics. Cox and her husband Scott serve as longtime cheerleaders for competitive robotics programs in Middle Georgia. As the lights dimmed, a hush fell over the students and the details of the new challenge began to unfold on the screen.
The event marked the reveal of the FIRST Tech Challenge competitive robotics game for the 2025-2026 season. With support from Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing, or Georgia AIM, more students across Middle Georgia now have access to FIRST Robotics programs. And this was underscored by the hundreds of students gathered for the reveal.
“We officially launched our rookie year about a week ago. … Now we have about 40 kids registered on our team,” said Kaylee Freeman, middle school division head for Mount de Sales Academy in Macon.
“Coming to the reveal event today was incredible,” said Freeman. “Up to this point, this was a kind of mysterious thing that they haven’t seen live in action. We’ve talked about it and shown them videos, but today was the first time they were able to see what this is going to look like for their very first competitive season.”
Students immediately began brainstorming, she said.
“They’re already asking, ‘What can we do?’ and ‘Is this allowed?’ I’m so excited to see what we start coming up with on Monday.”
The Starting Line
Launching a new competitive robotics team isn’t easy. First, there’s the equipment. Most competitions require a base robot, and that can cost several thousand dollars, depending on the program.
Teachers also must learn the technical skills needed to set their students up for success. This means learning coding, manufacturing parts, and how to program the robot, for starters. Through Georgia AIM’s support, the 21st Century Partnership and the Middle Georgia STEM Alliance provide area educators with workshops throughout the year.
In this way, teachers not only learn the fundamentals of robotics but also build a network of peers who offer support and guidance as the season unfolds.
That collaborative spirit reflects one of the core tenants of the FIRST Robotics: “gracious professionalism,” the idea that teams can compete fiercely while showing respect for one another and building community.
That’s also why rookie teams like Freeman’s were invited to the kickoff event, said Drew Shealy, STEM director at First Presbyterian Day School. His team, Smida Syndicate No. 4221, has competed for more than a decade.
“We wanted to invite some rookie teams to the kickoff so they can learn more about the structure of FTC, and see how that gracious professionalism goes hand-in-hand,” he said. “It’s not just about us, it’s about the whole community. … Although we’re on separate teams, we’re working together throughout the course of the year.”
Finishing Strong
The FIRST Tech Challenge is one of three competitive robotics programs available to students across Georgia. Others include FIRST Lego League, which serves elementary school students with smaller robots and runs from August through February, and FIRST Robotics Competition, which runs from January through April and features robots weighing up to 100 pounds and standing several feet tall.
Launched in September, the FIRST Tech Challenge season culminates with state championships scheduled for Feb. 20–21 in Gainesville.
FTC teams compete on a playing field roughly the size of half a basketball court, using robots that must fit within an 18-inch cube. Challenges change annually but often involve picking up or moving objects, sorting items, or having the robot lift or pull itself. This year’s theme across all FIRST Robotics competitions centers on archaeology, giving students another creative lens through which to approach robot design.
“The game is never the same, but we can use previous knowledge from other games or maybe even other organizations,” said Ronald Dong, a senior at First Presbyterian Day School. “But today I was excited because this is the game I’m doing for my senior year, and this is the last game I’ll be doing for (First Tech Challenge). And as it was revealed, it was very exciting to see the new obstacles and the new challenges that await us.”
Teams across the room felt that excitement on reveal day. But beyond the technical challenges, the brainstorming was also blooming a host of soft skills that can shape their futures.
“My thoughts on the upcoming year are just straight excitement,” said Freeman. “I loved seeing all of our kids come together today regardless of their age or their grade and be excited together. I am so excited to see the creativity and the sportsmanship and the home this is giving to kids to express their creativity, and also tap into their business skills and public speaking.”
Dong agreed. While he’s now looking at college programs, he’s also thinking about what he’d tell other students just coming to the robotics team.
“When they are just being introduced to robotics, it can seem very daunting and very challenging. That’s how I first felt too,” he said. “It sounded like a dream — building robots, doing all these games … But what I recommend to anyone in my school is, definitely give it a try and see if you can come up with any crazy designs — show us your innovation and have fun. This team is here to grow a strong foundation in robotics and STEAM, but it is also here to have fun, be inspired, and do things that you love.”
At the end of the season, he said, everyone will be proud of what they built.