The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) season in Pennsylvania is always busy and exciting, and this year is no different. From November through February, Pennsylvania FIRST hosts around ten-twelve qualifying tournaments along with a bunch of scrimmages that help teams learn, practice, and meet others in the robotics community.
This year’s game is called “Decode”. It is a fun archaeology-inspired challenge where teams design robots to collect and sort artifacts. On December 6, 2025, Team 18603 TeraBridges kicked off our competition season at the Lancaster Qualifier at Manheim Township High School.
Now for the best part…
TeraBridges is going to States!
We earned the Inspire Award, which is given to a team that stands out across the board. That includes robot design, outreach in the community, teamwork, and showing kindness and professionalism throughout the event. Our presentation and pit interviews helped us shine, and we are officially headed to the PA State FTC Championship in March 2026 after earning enough advancement points to move on.
This moment meant a lot to our students, coaches and mentors. Everyone has put in so many hours building the robot, running outreach events, building and donating assistive switch adapted toys to families in our community, advocating for more robotics opportunities in Western PA, and practicing together. Seeing that hard work turn into a State Championship spot was unforgettable.
What’s Next for Team 18603?
Even though we are already qualified for States, we still have a lot ahead of us. These upcoming events give us time to improve our robot, try new ideas, and cheer on other amazing teams in our region:
- Red and Green Scrimmage
Eden Hall Elementary in Gibsonia, PA
December 13, 2025 - Raiders Qualifier
Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, PA
January 11, 2026 - USC Qualifier
Boyce Middle School in Upper Saint Clair, PA
February 2026
Follow Along With Us
We are excited for everything coming up as the season builds toward States and beyond. Thank you for supporting our journey and cheering us on.