Pennsylvania FTC Championship

The Judges' Choice Award is presented when the judging panel meets a team whose unique efforts, performance, or team dynamics deserve recognition, but don't quite fit into the other award categories.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

The judges were impressed by this team's commitment to creating a successful season through hard work. Their ELECTRIC energy helped attract sponsors and mentors to support the team. This rookie team was able to catapult from 3 members to 9 in just 3 months. The Catapult to Success Award goes to Team 31623 Thunder Busters.

The Design Award celebrates a team that truly understands industrial design, striking a balance between form, function, and aesthetics while meeting this season's challenge. The team's design process results in a robot that is efficient, effective, and inspiring in the way it tackles the game.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team impressed the judges with their clean, modular and elegant design. Elevating above the competition, this team was able to achieve the elusive FULL PARK bonus. The robot's pivoting dual-shooter, carbon-fiber frame, and PURPLE highlights really set this team's design apart.

The Reach Award goes to a team that has brought new people into FIRST—whether new teams, mentors, or volunteers—and inspired them to embrace the FIRST culture, helping our community grow and thrive.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team defines what it means to make FIRST loud in their community. This season they redid their outreach program to focus on high-impact activities such as consistent mentoring, recurring volunteer engagement, and involvement with politicians in the local community. This GREEN team HACKED and HOUNDED their way to the top of the PYRAMID and the judges' rankings.

The Control Award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to enhance their robot's performance. With innovative solutions, like autonomous operation, smarter mechanical systems, or sensor use, they tackle game challenges with creativity and skill, showing how technology can push their robot to the next level.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team demonstrated excellent control over their robot during both autonomous and tele-op. They used several algorithms in tandem to ensure accuracy anywhere on the field, even while being pushed by another robot. A robot is nothing without its software - this team BRIDGED the gap from good to great.

The Innovate Award sponsored by RTX celebrates a team that has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This award is given to the team that the Judges feel has the most innovative and creative robot design solution to this season's game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness and 'out of the box' thinking. This award may address the design of the whole robot or some sub- assembly component. The creative component needs to work consistently.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team pushed the boundaries of innovation by developing and implementing a very unique robot. Their robot impressed the judges with an incredibly controlled drive train that maneuvered over the field with precision and confidence. Not just thinking outside the box, but perhaps outside the PLANET, they rolled in with a unique BALL DRIVE.

The Sustain Award celebrates the team that plans for the future of their program, ensuring it will thrive, long after today. They have established plans for finances, projects, or team sustainability, track their progress, and show dedication to leadership and long-term growth.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team clearly structured their season plan around team and financial sustainability. Their comprehensive engineering notebook enables efficient sharing of knowledge for members in their multi-tiered recruitment pipeline. With their orange-striped mascot, this team travelled far and arrived with a ROAR.

The Connect Award is presented to the team that has built strong connections with their local STEM community. With a clear plan and intentional steps, they grow their skills and show how teamwork and community involvement drive success in FIRST.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

This team impressed the judges with many strategies to cultivate and build their team skills, connections to mentors, and industry leaders. They have internal programs and processes to quickly train new team members, as well as clearly track their team's learning progress. They dazzled the judges with their skills matrix full of colorful BOXES and their PINK ribbons were an OUT of this world experience for us all.

The Think Award goes to the team that best showcases their engineering journey throughout the FIRST Tech Challenge season. Judges use the team's portfolio to see evidence of the engineering process, lessons learned, or analysis guiding their decisions. This award celebrates the team's thoughtful approach to building their robot.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

The judges eagerly turned the prolific pages of this team's engineering portfolio which showcased the depth of their engineering process. This powerful team relies on their collective consciousness to track their progress towards their goal and works closely with its PACK to attack the game elements in pursuit of victory on the field. CHASING a perfect season with speed and precision, this team focuses their SPIRIT-ANIMAL energy on decoding the ancient secrets of this game.

The Compass Award recognizes an adult coach or mentor who provided outstanding guidance and support for a FIRST Tech Challenge team throughout the year. The winner of the Compass Award is determined from candidates, via a submitted student video, highlighting how their mentor has helped them become an outstanding team and has truly demonstrated what it means to be a Gracious Professional.

FIRST Leadership Award Finalists are outstanding student leaders whose passion for and effectiveness at embodying FIRST ideals is exemplary. These students were nominated by their teams for their direct contributions and impact on others – exemplifying leadership and commitment, on their FIRST Tech Challenge team, in their school, and in their community. FIRST Leadership Award Finalists, recognized here today, are also our nominees for the FIRST Leadership Award at the FIRST Championship.

The Inspire Award is presented to the team that embodies the best of FIRST—this team is made up of strong ambassadors, role models, and gracious competitors. This team excels across judged award categories, works together to design and build their robot, and shares their experiences, enthusiasm, and knowledge with other teams, sponsors, their community, and the Judges.

Here is what the judges had to say about the winner:

The judges were amazed at how well-rounded this team was in all attributes. Their portfolio showed how their robot was struck by challenges and survived. The team's success, both on and off the field, was no small feat - but a clear STEP above.