November 10, 2025 Submitted by NDA
This year’s FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is generating excitement nationwide, and the Cou-gears, the robotics team from Notre Dame Academy is making great progress as they gear up for the first qualifying round. The FTC is known for its emphasis on STEM education, teamwork, gracious professionalism, and innovation. For this all-girls team, the journey to the competition is as much about building confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills as it is about building robots.
The theme for this year’s challenge is “DECODE.” It is an archaeology-inspired challenge where teams will investigate the power of artifacts and use STEM skills to uncover the past. Teams are asked to design, code, build, and program robots that can solve these mysteries. Participants are encouraged to think beyond the robot, considering how their designs and teamwork can make a positive impact on their potential outcomes and be shared through outreach.
The team is made up of middle- and high school students passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The team members come from diverse backgrounds but share a common goal: to qualify for the state competition this winter! Their spirit and friendly support have become the backbone of their preparations. They love time with their coaches, brainstorming innovative solutions, learning new programming languages, and gaining skill in mechanical design. Each member brings a unique perspective and set of talents to the team.
Getting ready for the first qualifying round is a true commitment of time and talent. The team began preparations in September.
Here’s how they’re preparing:
- Strategy Sessions: Weekly meetings are held to discuss strategy, analyze what’s worked before, and brainstorm robot designs.
- Design and Prototyping: The team divides into smaller groups focusing on various aspects—mechanical design, programming, and outreach. Using CAD software, they make sample parts/prototypes to figure out what will bring the likelihood of success at the qualifiers.
- Programming: Some of the girls are mastering coding languages such as Java and Python to program the robot’s autonomous and driver-controlled aspects of the competition. They’re also working on the use of sensors to enhance the robot’s efficiency.
- Practice Runs: The team dedicates hours each week and on the weekends to practicing on a mock field, troubleshooting issues, and refining their robot’s movements.
- Outreach and Documentation: Understanding the importance of community impact, the team engages in outreach activities, sharing their journey on social media and collaborating with local elementary schools and scout troops to (hopefully) spark an interest in STEM. Additionally, team members were around for the school’s Open House to encourage future enrollees to join the team!
With the first qualifying round approaching, anticipation is building. The team is determined to do their best and they hope their journey will inspire others to pursue technology as a possible career path.