Robotics

The robotics program at ASL empowers each student to thrive as a lifelong learner and courageous global citizen by fostering intellect, creativity, inclusivity and character within the context of age-appropriate robotics challenges.

From after-school program classes for younger students to competitive robotics in the High School, students are encouraged to become thinkers, explorers, collaborators and innovators.

In addition to a variety of technical skills, students learn valuable communication skills and have numerous opportunities to demonstrate respectfulness, responsibility, kindness and integrity.

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Our donors and corporate sponsors

The ASL robotics program connects students with technology and mentors in the industry. The program is grateful to our generous donors and corporate sponsors for their support. Thank you for helping our program thrive!

High school

Program overview

Whether they are completely new to robotics or have participated for many years, students in the High School have many avenues to grow intellectually and personally through the robotics program at ASL.

The robotics class is open to students of all skill levels and focuses on fostering both collaborative and individual growth, based on the FIRST Tech Challenge game presented each year. As an after-school program, students can participate in the FIRST FRC robotics competition, gaining experience in CAD, web design, fabrication, electronics, pneumatics, programming and game strategy.

Students of many diverse talents learn essential teamwork skills and have numerous opportunities for outreach and leadership both inside and outside the team. Students participating in the high school robotics program leave ASL well prepared for further study towards careers in STEM leadership.

High school mentors

Muktar Ali
Jordi Albanell '17
Karen Bonthrone
Kent Collins
Chris Goff
Tanner Hatzmann '20
Patrick Jordan '21
Mackensie Kim '21
Lachlan Orr
Jan Ostman-Lind
Lesley Yeo

FIRST robotics competition

The high school robotics program participates in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), with a pre-season running from October-December. At this time, the team participates in basic skills and training exercises (machining, electronics, programming). Then, on the first Saturday in January, the FRC “game” of the season is announced via live webcast, and teams are tasked with a new problem where they may have to throw frisbees, launch balls, or do any other number of unique tasks.

After the “game” has been announced, students from around the world build robots to play the game in just six short weeks. Griffins 1884 and Phoenix 1797, the two ASL teams, then travel each March to compete at various locations around the globe.

Team awards and honors

2023: FIRST Championship Archimedes Division
Gracious Professionalism Award (Team 1884)

2023: Orange County Regional
Engineering Inspiration Award (Team 1884)
Dean’s List Finalist (Team 1884)

2021: Central Asia, Africa & Europe Region
Dean's List Finalist (Team 1884)

2018: Shenzhen Regional
Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen (Team 1884)
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (Team 1884)
Creativity Award sponsored by Xerox (Team 1797)

2017: Shenzhen Regional
Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation (Team 1884)
Regional Winners (Team 1884)
FIRST Championship - Houston - Turing Subdivision (Team 1884)
FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award (Team 1797)
Gracious Professionalism Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson (Team 1797)

2016: New York City Regional
Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen (Team 1797)

2015: New York City Regional
Regional Winners (Team 1884)
FIRST Championship - Carver Subdivision (Team 1884)

2014: New York City Regional
Regional Winner (Team 1884)
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (Team 1884)
FIRST Championship - Curie Division (Team 1884)

2013: WPI Regional
Judges Award (Team 1884)

2012: WPI Regional
Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers (Team 1884)
Regional Finalist (Team 1884)

2011: WPI Regional
Excellence in Design Award sponsored by Autodesk (Team 1884)

2010: Boston Regional
Excellence in Design Award sponsored by Autodesk (Team 1884)

2006: Lone Star Regional
Judges Award (Team 1884)

Middle school

Program overview

Middle school students have the opportunity to explore robotics in a variety of ways. All Grade 5-6 students experience Lego robotics in their science classrooms, and FIRST Lego League is available as an after-school program for Grades 5-8, where students work towards competing in local and national tournaments.

In FIRST Lego league, students are introduced to block programming and engineering design principles. Grade 7 students have the option to take a robotics elective that introduces them to more advanced robots, using metal parts and Java programming. From there, Grades 7-8 students have the option to compete in FIRST Tech Challenge as an after-school competition team. The main focus of middle school robotics in is to introduce students to design thinking, engineering concepts and computer programming.

Students who continue in the program develop an increasingly sophisticated skillset aimed at preparing them to participate in FIRST FRC competitions in the High School, as well as giving them a strong foundation for future science, programming and design classes.

Middle school mentors

Muktar Ali
Kojo Baffour
Chris Goff
Jan Ostman-Lind
Aura Urbano

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Lower school

Program overview

Lower school students have the opportunity to engage in extra-curricular engineering and computational thinking practices in the IPoP program as early as Grade 1. The program has seen various engineering and coding offerings over the years, one course of which is the Lego Robotics program, in which students are introduced to the basics of sequencing using block coding as well as exercising their creative and constructivist skills in building motorized Lego robots equipped with sensors.

With an aim to incorporate more STEM practices into the lower school curriculum, the division integrated the Junior FIRST Lego League challenge into the Grade 4 curriculum in 2015. All Grade 4 students are presented with a real-world problem, for which they work in small teams to develop research projects as well as designing and coding a moving Lego model of their team’s generated solution. The program, which is now called Cities For the Future, teaches Grade 4 students about city planning and Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions and connects them with the Grosvenor Britain & Ireland Group to help redesign public spaces in London.