Months of Work, Minutes on the Clock.

At this year’s LEGO FIRST Robotics Competition in Mansfield, New Jersey, the ‘Tech Titans’ from KIPP Lanning Square Middle School faced 20 other robotics teams—and a challenge that tested far more than technical skill.

The event brought together teams from across New Jersey, each tested not only on engineering skill, but on research, communication, and collaboration. By the end of the day, the Tech Titans placed third in the robotics category, a result that reflected far more than a single performance.

LEGO FIRST Robotics competitions are structured around four scored components: robot design, the robot game, an innovation project, and core values. For Bryan Wood, KIPP New Jersey STEM Achievement Director and a leader of the club alongside Shawn Harper, that structure is intentional.

“Robotics has a set of core values that drive the STEM instruction kids get to engage in,” Wood said. “Discovery, innovation, teamwork, and fun are completely transferable values that they can apply to any level of science they want to pursue.”

This year’s theme, ‘Unearthed,’ challenged students to focus on archaeology. Teams were asked to identify a real-world problem connected to the field and propose a solution through research and design. The topic didn’t click with everyone immediately.

“At first, for this year’s competition, I didn’t love the archaeology theme,” said eighth grader Rudy Vazquez. “But then we went to the Penn Museum, which has lots of archaeology-related exhibits, and it really opened my eyes to that work and why it matters.”

Students studied excavation practices and sat through dense webinars. When the information felt incomplete, Wood helped students connect directly with professionals. The team interviewed local university archaeologists over Zoom, reached out to working experts in the field, and eventually spoke with a professional in the solar energy sector.

Through those conversations, students refined their thinking. An early idea focused on site security, but expert feedback pushed them further. Archaeological sites often rely on solar panels to power equipment in remote locations, and dust buildup can severely limit that energy supply. The Tech Titans’ final innovation project addressed that challenge, proposing a solution to keep solar panels clear and functional in dusty excavation environments.

The competition’s robot game tested a different set of skills under pressure. Teams had two minutes and 30 seconds to complete as many programmed missions as possible, working alongside another team on the same table.

“I compare it to gymnastics,” Wood explained. “You have a routine that can earn a certain score, and then you have to execute it in that time window.”

That execution required months of preparation—coding, rebuilding, testing, and refining. It also demanded teamwork. Judges observed students throughout the day, noting how they collaborated, solved problems, and interacted with one another.

For eighth grader Antwan Moore, those moments mattered as much as the technical work. “I’m a little shy, so joining robotics has given me a way to talk to more people,” he said. “It’s challenging and fun, and it teaches life lessons—like don’t do hard things alone, since we’re all stronger as a team.”

By competition day, the Tech Titans’ uniforms and coordinated routines reflected that shared effort. Their third-place robotics finish capped a season defined by persistence, iteration, and growth—skills that extend well beyond the competition floor.

For eighth grader Antwan Moore, those moments mattered as much as the technical work. “I’m a little shy, so joining robotics has given me a way to talk to more people,” he said. “It’s challenging and fun, and it teaches life lessons—like don’t do hard things alone, since we’re all stronger as a team.”

By competition day, the Tech Titans’ uniforms and coordinated routines reflected that shared effort. Their third-place robotics finish capped a season defined by persistence, iteration, and growth—skills that extend well beyond the competition floor.