A free, after-school robotics club for middle schoolers!
Middle school students who are located in the Troy City School District or Lansingburgh Central School District, or are students at KIPP Prep Middle School (Troy or Albany Locations) are invited to join us for this free, hands-on afterschool club that introduces students to robotics through LEGOs!
This hands-on afterschool program uses the fun of LEGOs to introduce students to robotics and coding concepts! Students will participate in challenges for this year’s archeology-themed challenge along with other teams from all over the world!
This is a non-competition team, perfect for students who want to have some fun and try it out! No experience required.
Sessions are on Wednesdays from 3:30pm-5:30pm, November 5, 2025- March 28, 2025. No sessions will be held during school breaks or Regents week. Have questions or not sure you can make it to the club in time? Contact us at [email protected] to discuss options.
Brought to you for free through the support of the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, with additional support provided by Pioneer Bank.
More Information:
- The club takes place at Tech Valley Center of Gravity at 30 3rd St in Troy, NY. Transportation to and from the club is not provided, and parents/guardians are responsible for providing transportation. Students must be signed out of the club at the end of the session. Drop-off is from 3:15-3:30pm, and pick-up is from 5:25-5:35pm.
- Grandparents, older siblings, etc. can do pickup if pre-approved!
- This club is offered for FREE to middle school students (grades 5-8) who are either students at KIPP Prep Middle School (Troy or Albany locations) or students who live within the Troy City School District or Lansingburgh Central School District. Homeschooled students located within TCSD or LCSD are welcome to participate.
- Spots are first-come, first-served; the club can have up to 15 students.
- Dinner is provided for participating students. Please provide information regarding any dietary restrictions during the registration process.
- All team volunteers and coaches have passed background checks conducted by FIRST. Sessions are led by two experienced coaches and additional volunteers.
- Students will spend each session working on challenges presented by FIRST! This year’s theme, “Unearthed,” is inspired by archeology. Students will work with coaches to build and code robots to complete the archeology-themed challenges and will also work on an archeology-inspired research project. Students finish the season with an awards ceremony and pizza party, where they present their final projects to friends and family!
- This is a non-competition team, but students will be participating in the current seasons’ challenges. We hope to arrange for students to observe a local competition during the season.
Contact information for coaches will be provided after registration is complete.
Schedule:
The club takes place after-school on Wednesdays, from 3:30pm-5:30 pm. Drop-off is from 3:15-3:30pm, and pick-up is from 5:25-5:35pm. Sessions take place on the following dates:
- November 2025: 5, 12, 19
- December 2025: 3, 10, 17
- January 2026: 7, 14, 28
- February 2026: 4, 11, 25
- March 2026: 4, 11, 18, 25
- End-of-season awards ceremony dates and optional competition dates are TBD.
Have questions? Email [email protected]
Learn more about FIRST and the Unearthed challenge on the official FIRST website here.
This program is made possible by support from:
Additional support is brought to you by Technology Sponsor Pioneer Bank
