FIRST Tech Challenge

WHAT IS FIRST TECH CHALLENGE?

Each school year, FIRST Tech Challenge teams receive a new challenge – a game, really – and have several months to design, build, and program a robot to play the game against other teams consisting of up to 15 7th-12th grade students. The 2023–2024 season features a STEAM-themed game called CENTERSTAGE.

Program Grants for FIRST  Tech Challenge Teams

The Coalition awards grants of up to $2500 for teams to register for competition, purchase parts and tools, and travel to events. 33 FIRST Tech Challenge teams received Coalition program grants in the 2022–202\3 school year.

Learn more about FIRST Tech Challenge

Events

In partnership with Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics and local teams, the Coalition organizes a series of workshops and a scrimmage for FIRST Tech Challenge Teams. Staffed by volunteers, these workshops guide teams through the engineering design process and prepare them for competition. A year-end competition event called RoboJawn caps off the season.

See a calendar of our events

Mentorship

Beyond a coach, teams benefit immensely from professional help and guidance. The Coalition works to recruit engineers and other professionals to visit the teams each week. At present, our partnership with NAVSEA Philadelphia — a civilian engineering division of the US Navy — provides our largest group of professional mentors. NAVSEA alone cannot meet the mentorship needs of all our teams, so we are eager to recruit additional mentorship partners.

Learn more about Mentorship

COALITION MEMBERS

  • Central High School
  • Carver High School of Engineering and Science
  • Abraham Lincoln High School
  • Northeast High School
  • Murrell Dobbins High School
  • Central High School
  • Philadelphia High School For Girls
  • Academy At Palumbo
  • Olney High School
  • Carver High School of Engineering and Science
  • William W. Bodine High School
  • Project HOME
  • The U School
  • Constitution High School
  • Central High School
  • West Philadelphia High School
  • Building 21
  • Science Leadership Academy
  • First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School
  • Lankenau High School
  • Parkway Center City Middle College
  • Central High School
  • Carver High School of Engineering and Science
  • Frankford High School
  • Parkway Center City Middle College
  • Lincoln High School
  • Dobbins Highschool
  • Philadelphia High School For Girls
  • Academy At Palumbo
  • ASPIRA Olney Charter High School
  • Carver High School of Engineering and Science
  • Bodine High School
  • Project Home
  • Franklin Learning Center
  • The U School
  • Strawberry Mansion High School
  • Constitution High School
  • Horace Furness High School
  • Central High School
  • High School of the Future
  • West Philadelphia High School
  • Fels High School
  • Parkway Center City
  • Central High School
  • Parkway Center City
  • Lincoln High School
  • Northeast High School
  • Dobbins High School
  • Central High School
  • Philadelphia High School for Girls
  • Academy @ Palumbo
  • Aspira Olney Charter High School
  • Carver High School of Engineering and Science
  • SLA Beeber
  • Bodine High School
  • Workshop School
  • Project HOME
  • U School
  • Strawberry Mansion High School
  • High School of the Future
  • Constitution High School
  • Furness High School
  • Ben Franklin High School
  • West Philadelphia High School
  • Parkway Center City
  • Central High School
  • Parkway Center City
  • Lincoln High School
  • Northeast High School
  • Dobbins High School
  • Central High School
  • Philadelphia High School for Girls
  • Academy @ Palumbo
  • Aspira Olney Charter High School
  • Carver High School of Engineering and Science
  • SLA Beeber
  • Bodine High School
  • Workshop School
  • Project HOME
  • U School
  • Strawberry Mansion High School
  • High School of the Future
  • Constitution High School
  • Furness High School
  • Ben Franklin High School
  • Academy @ Palumbo
  • Bodine High School
  • Central High School
  • Edison High School
  • Franklin Learning Center
  • Lincoln High School
  • Mastery Charter School – Pickett
  • Northeast High School
  • Parkway Center City High School
  • Philadelphia High School for Girls
  • Project HOME After School Program
  • The Workshop School
  • Academy @ Palumbo
  • Edison High School
  • Frankford High School
  • Franklin Learning Center
  • Hill-Freedman World Academy
  • Lincoln High School
  • Northeast High School
  • Parkway Center City High School
  • Philadelphia High School for Girls
  • Project HOME After School Program
  • Swenson Arts & Technology High School
  • The Workshop School
  • Edison High School
  • Frankford High School
  • Lincoln High School
  • Parkway Center City High School
  • Philadelphia High School for Girls
  • The Workshop School