LUMBERTON – Fresh off an exhilarating 2024 season of FIRST® competitions during which participating students earned multiple awards and accolades, the PSRC Early College High School's RobCoBots FIRST team is back in action and hoping for even greater success in 2025.
FIRST is a global youth robotics community that uses science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs to prepare young people for the future. The RobCoBots are the only FIRST team within a 50-mile radius of Lumberton and this close-knit team of 35 students has become a standout in Robeson County. Since January, the team has been hard at work building its dishwasher-sized robot, which is designed to play a fast-paced, multiplayer game as part of FIRST® Robotics Competition – the organization’s offering for grades 9-12 in which teams are tasked with designing, building and programming a robot tied to a themed competition challenge.
RobCoBots made it to the finals at its first qualifying competition earlier this month, and if the team does well at its next event (the FNC District UNC Pembroke event taking place March 28-30 at UNC Pembroke’s Jones Center – 176 University Drive, Pembroke, NC), they will qualify for the upcoming FIRST North Carolina State Championship held April 4-6 at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. There, teams from across the state and beyond will compete for the chance to progress to the global 2025 FIRST Championship event in Houston, where over 50,000 attendees will gather to celebrate students’ educational accomplishments.
“We’ve never felt more ready than we do this year," said Carlos Carranza, a student member of the RobCoBots who serves as the team’s captain. "While we're eager to bring home a win, we know that at the end of the day, we're a family. We're all here to support one another and to help raise awareness for STEM education, no matter the outcome at competition."
The RobCoBots have made a name for themselves both on and off the competition field. The team has been recognized with the Spirit Award at this year’s UNC Asheville event and the 2024 Mecklenburg competition, and it was named a 2024 finalist at the UNC Pembroke event. It also earned the Judges’ Award at the 2024 FIRST North Carolina State Championship for outstanding teamwork and innovation.
“As a science teacher for over 22 years, I've always believed in the power of science to inspire. There's nothing more rewarding than giving students a spark of curiosity and helping them discover the exciting world of science and engineering,” said John Allen, lead mentor for the RobCoBots and a longtime teacher at PSRC.
Beyond the competition, the RobCoBots are deeply committed to community outreach and extending STEM learning opportunities to other students within their rural community. From organizing hands-on workshops to establishing partnerships with local organizations, the team has engaged more than 1,500 community members in its outreach efforts, fostering a culture of learning and innovation while generating awareness for the team and the power of robotics on students’ academic success and personal development.
“I’m proud of the way our team connects with the community. We’re passionate about offering hands-on STEM experiences and collaborating with local organizations like the NC Youth Violence Prevention Center,” said Catherine Ayala Marchand, a student member of the RobCoBots who serves as the team’s business officer overseeing team finances and outreach programs. “Together, we’re helping create a culture where innovation flourishes and youth are inspired to pursue both academic and personal growth in school and beyond.”
The public is encouraged to attend both the UNC Pembroke and FIRST North Carolina State Championship events and cheer on these remarkable students as they showcase their engineering and collaboration skills while joining them in the excitement of intense competition.
About FIRST:
FIRST® is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school or in structured after-school programs. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges.
An international not-for-profit organization founded by accomplished inventor Dean Kamen in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Participants and alumni of FIRST programs gain access to education and career discovery opportunities, connections to exclusive scholarships and employers, and a place in the FIRST community for life. Learn more at firstinspires.org.