Mr. Witman
Curiosity Robotics World Championship Update
Over 15,000 students representing nearly 30 countries around the globe gathered in Houston, Texas on April 19-22 to compete in the 2023 FIRST Championship, the ultimate celebration of STEM education and innovation. Curiosity, one of five Marlborough robotics teams, valiantly represented Marlborough and the City of Los Angeles after qualifying as one of the 192 top FIRST Tech Challenge Teams for this world championship event. The FIRST Tech Challenge brings together middle and high school students who have advanced from competitions around the country to compete on 12’x12’ playing fields with the robots they designed, programmed, and built.
Curiosity earned a 6-5 record and qualified 20th out of 48 teams in their division. While the team did not clear the elimination rounds, this competition record represents an exceptional performance against the top robotics teams in the world. They also earned the 2nd Place Connect Award for their efforts to connect with and learn from members of the engineering and Marlborough alumnae communities.
The team’s sportsmanship was on full display as they built camaraderie and community with other roboticists in attendance. Curiosity was an extremely popular team all week with countless visitors stopping by their pit to learn about their processes, engineering acumen, and teamwork. Members of Curiosity were also able to spend time scouting and gathering intel on the best robotics teams and the judging system; this information will prove invaluable to future seasons of Marlborough Robotics.
While the competition schedule was grueling with early mornings, long days, and high stress matches, the team also made time for fun. They attended “Robo Prom” and explored the latest in technology at the FIRST Innovation Faire. They even met Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST Robotics, who autographed the Curiosity robot.
Most importantly, the team embraced a ‘live for the moment’ philosophy and celebrated their time together. They supported one another and stayed positive over the course of the long tournament. The team made a lot of good memories and gave the seniors a fitting conclusion to their high school robotics journey.