{"id":2019,"date":"2026-05-13T11:30:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T15:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.educationaldestinations.com\/blog\/?p=2019"},"modified":"2026-05-15T12:49:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T16:49:47","slug":"carmel-hs-first-robotics-championship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.educationaldestinations.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/13\/carmel-hs-first-robotics-championship\/","title":{"rendered":"Carmel HS Takes on FIRST Robotics Championship with Educational Destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thirty robotics students from Carmel HS (IN) joined teams from all over the world to compete at the annual FIRST Championship in Houston, TX. After a whirlwind of travel and double-elimination matches, the varsity Carmel team, the 868 TechHOUNDS, walked away as Division Champions, with their final alliance ranking second in the world.<\/p>\n

This year, the FIRST Championship comprised 600 FIRST Robotics Competition<\/a> (FRC) teams representing 50 countries. Students qualified depending on their performance in state championships, only learning their eligibility for the world championship 1-3 weeks before departure.<\/p>\n

Carmel HS students advanced about 10 days before the competition, so Educational Destinations staff immediately began finalizing travel preparations to fast-track the group to Houston.<\/p>\n

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The Competition Experience<\/h3>\n

For the first portion of the competition, teams and their robots were randomly sorted into eight divisions named after famous scientists such as Archimedes and Galileo. The JV Carmel team, the 761 TechPUPS, was assigned to the Hopper Division, while the upperclassmen 868 TechHOUNDS competed in the Newton Division.<\/p>\n

\"two<\/p>\n

The event began with qualification matches, where students competed in randomized competition slots to earn ranking points. Students were prepared, all of them having programmed for and played the same “game” throughout the season. This year\u2019s theme was \u201cREBUILT,\u201d so students worked to climb obstacles, collect balls (“fuel”) and score points in a game reminiscent of basketball.<\/p>\n

After the qualification matches, the top eight ranking teams in each division chose other teams to form alliances. With four teams per alliance, only three competed at a time, with one on standby.<\/p>\n

The eight alliances in each division engaged in bracket play, double-elimination style. The 868 TechHounds’ alliance was crowned as the champions of their division, qualifying them to advance to the final and most competitive portion of the competition: the Einstein Tournament.<\/p>\n