Lever Up Robotics

What is FIRST® Tech Challenge?

FIRST® Tech Challenge is a competition designed for both middle and high school students to compete at an intermediate level. Students get to learn and explore the basics of programming and engineering with Java and programs like CAD.

The competition revolves around the common theme of the season, and each theme relates to a practical topic, which can range from space exploration to transportation and deliveries. Teams have 6 months to build a robot that can complete certain actions which earn points for the team. Some examples of these actions are placing hoops in rings or spinning a wheel. Each team joins up with another team in a partnership to form an alliance, which competes against other alliances in rounds. Alliances aim to have the highest scores.

Lever Up Robotics

Lever Up Robotics is a community-based team that participates in FIRST® Tech Challenge. We currently have 12 members from five schools in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, with the majority of the team made up of female members. Our goal is to inform young people in our community of STEM topics and their real-world applications. For example, our robotics program uses Java, 3D modeling with CAD software, and concepts of engineering design. While we are still a rookie team, we already have plenty of robotics experience, with several members having previously participated in FIRST® LEGO League, FIRST® Tech Challenge, and other STEM programs.

We work with various FIRST® Robotics Competition and FIRST® Tech Challenge teams in the Triangle and are always looking to make more connections with local organizations.