From the archive
Memories
Stories from FIRST® in Texas — the volunteers, teams and students
who built the seasons before this one.
For sixteen years the programs in this state were run by FIRST® in Texas, an independent organization of staff, contractors and a great many volunteers. In 2026 that work came back inside FIRST itself, as FIRST Texas. The people did not change. The seasons did not change. But the website that carried the record of them is being switched off.
These 51 stories were on it. They are spotlights, mostly — a volunteer who has judged for a decade, a team that found a way to pay for its season, a student explaining what a robot taught them, an alum describing where it led. Between them they cover 2014 to 2026, which is longer than the old site itself admitted: its final move stamped most of these with the day they were migrated rather than the day they were written.
They were recovered from the Internet Archive and kept here, as close to how they were published as we could manage. Nobody wrote them for a history page. They read better for it.
Some of this is incomplete, and you can help.
Every story now carries the date it was actually published, from 2014 to 2026, and only 20 of the 57 photographs these stories referenced were ever captured by the archive. The rest exist now only in somebody’s own files. If you know when a story happened, who is in a picture, or you have a photograph of your own from that day, the button on any card will take it — no account, one box. Everything is checked by the team before it appears.
16 of 51 in from the archive.
From the archive
16
February 2026When a Community Steps Up, Students SoarImagine working for years to build something that represents who you are. Late nights after school. Even longer weekends. Setbacks, revisions, and small wins that slowly add up. Then imagine standing on the field, hearing your team’s name called for the most prestigious award in the FIRST Robotics C- No photo in the archiveNovember 2025A Generational FIRST ® Story: Jodi and Barrett WootenImagine this: it’s 1994. You’re a high school senior, and the FIRST® Robotics Competition game is “Tower Power.” The goal? Score as many soccer balls as possible into one of two goals. You’re from Sherman, Texas, where robotics isn’t exactly mainstream, and there’s only one competition, all the way
- No photo in the archiveOctober 2025If You Could Create the Perfect FRC Game… What Would It Be?We asked two students from Team 5503, the Tiger Trons, to share their perfect FRC game design and their answers were full of creativity and excitement! As the countdown to the 2025–2026 FRC game reveal continues, we love seeing how imagination and innovation drive the FIRST® community forward.
- No photo in the archiveOctober 2025What makes FIRST® Access so unique?What makes FIRST® Access so unique? We don’t just have robotics competitions, we have fun! FIRST Access opens the door for students with disabilities and special needs to take part in STEM through hands-on robotics. This program ensures every student can experience the excitement and opportunities t
- No photo in the archiveSeptember 2025Josh Eversmann’s 15-Year Impact on Students Through FIRSTJosh Eversmann got his start as a volunteer while still a student, helping at FIRST® LEGO® League events hosted at Westwood High School. What began with scorekeeping and refereeing quickly grew into a 15-year journey spanning nearly every role FIRST in Texas has to offer.
- No photo in the archiveSeptember 2025From Girl Scout FLL Coach to Global Judge Advisor: Roberta's Volunteer JourneyWhen Girl Scouts introduced FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge to North Texas in 2017, Roberta jumped right in as a coach. She led two teams made up of her daughter’s troop members. With two groups of 4th graders participating in the Hydro Dynamics season, a brand-new volunteer journey began. What starte
May 2025Texas Teams Triumph at 2025 FIRST World Championship28 FIRST Robotics Competition teams, 15 FIRST Tech Challenge teams and 3 FIRST LEGO League teams went to Houston for the 2025 World Championship. Team 19746 BrainSTEM came home world champions.- No photo in the archiveMay 2015Lego Lions Make Texas ProudTexas teams never fail to impress. The Laurel Mountain Elementary “Lego Lions” team, supported by the Freescale Foundation and [first] in Texas, was honored as one of three global finalists for the FLL “Global Innovation Award,” presented by XPRIZE, at the annual [first] Championship World Festival,
- No photo in the archiveApril 2015Girls and STEM: What Factors Matter?Google Diversity has taken steps to see what factors make a difference in a girl's decision to engage in STEM learning and like any scientist, we know that research needs to be applied in order to be useful. Consider the facts and suggestions below to encourage more girls to join in the robotics fun
- No photo in the archiveApril 2015Top 10 Differences Between Robotics and SportsPaul Smith of Lead With A Story recently attended his first ever [first] event and had a lot of glowing remarks to share about it. We are happy to share his wonderful post and remind all of you in our community to speak up and share about the great program you have chosen to be a part of.
- No photo in the archiveMarch 2015Be the Spark - Share your StoryThe Be the Spark collection celebrates women, girls, and men who are flipping the script on gender roles in science and technology. Hear from women and girls about how their passion for science and technology first developed and meet women from history whose contributions to science and technology h
- No photo in the archiveFebruary 2015Win Big with the DARPA Robotics Video ContestAll high school students are invited to take part in the DARPA Student Video contest, to compete for expenses-paid admission to the DARPA Robotics Challenge in California to be part of the future of robotics.
- No photo in the archiveJanuary 201510,000 square feet of practice space - now available!The folks at ATX STEM Park are excited to announce their new space at ACC Highland Mall. Their 10,000 square feet of robotics practice space is sure to make this season a strong one for you and your team.
- No photo in the archiveSeptember 2014Texas Instruments wants FIRST Alumni Interns!Looking for more experience in the STEM fields? Texas Instruments wants [first] alumni to fill their upcoming summer internships. Texas Instruments offers a robust internship program with opportunities that challenge students to tackle real-world projects and get hands-on experience and insight into
- No photo in the archiveMay 2014Dell "Leaving Your Legacy" Business Plan ChallengeA challenge offered to any interested FRC team, giving them an opportunity to work with Dell leaders to develop their presentation skills, improve their business plans, and further their sustainability of their team, as well as a chance to promote their vision for STEM Education in Texas
- No photo in the archiveJanuary 2014Skillpoint Alliance Works with Dell Powering the Possible to Expand Youth LearningDell grant will provide 420 children with access to technology across Central Texas
Recovered from the Internet Archive, September 2026. Dates come from the original site’s own files and from the photographs’ capture dates where those survived; where neither did, the story says so rather than guessing.