Watch the game reveal for the FIRST Tech Challenge 2024-2025 season, Into the Deep!

For students in grades 7-12, the goal of a FIRST Tech Challenge team is to design, build, program, and compete in robotics competitions. In addition, we aim to build a successful team that has fun learning about robotics and programming in a way that exemplifies the FIRST value of Gracious Professionalism, which encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.

Each season FTC teams are given a set of challenges for their robot to complete in 2.5 minutes of play, and successful completion of those challenges scores points. For each match, two teams are paired together to form an alliance, and two alliances play against each other to see who can score the most points. At each tournament teams play 5-6 qualification matches, each with a different randomly assigned alliance partner. The top scoring teams at the end of the qualification round go on to bracket-style elimination rounds with alliance partners they get to select themselves.

During the competition, teams are also asked to submit a 15 page portfolio that summarizes their accomplishments for the year, and they participate in formal and informal judging sessions where they have an opportunity to share what they have learned throughout the season. At the end of the tournament, awards are given by the judges to teams who inspire, think, innovate, design, motivate and connect, as well as to the teams that compete in the finals matches. FIRST is definitely "More Than Robots!"

FIRST Tech Challenge Team #21430 was the first team sponsored by the Broomfield Robotics Club beginning in 2021. Currently this team has fifteen members in grades 8-12 from Broomfield, Colorado and the surrounding communities. Eight of the team members identify as female, and seven identify as male. Four of the team members are from outside the United States, so the team proudly represents Colorado and the USA, as well as Ukraine and India. Four first languages are spoken on the team, and three of our students are neuro-diverse. In 2024 The BroomBots won the Inspire Award at the Colorado State Championship and were part of the Winning Alliance. This earned them a coveted spot at the World Championships held in Houston, TX in April of 2024! In addition to building challenging robots, the BroomBots enjoy mentoring younger STEM students, leading outreach events, connecting with FIRST teams around Colorado and across the world, playing games together, and they will enthusiastically jump in a swimming pool every chance they get. CLICK HERE to learn more about the BroomBots.

The BroomBots

The Fellowship of the Broom

Broomfield Robotics is excited to announce the launch of FTC Team #25674, the Fellowship of the Broom! This team of 10 enthusiastic 7th-9th graders began their robotics adventure in July of 2024 and are looking forward to joining the Colorado FIRST Tech Challenge community alongside their sister team, the BroomBots. Currently made up of 6 boys and 4 girls, this team is looking for 2 more girls to complete their traveling party. The team will spend their first year learning all the basics, from game analysis and strategizing to basic robot design and coding. We’re sure it will be the hardest fun they’ve ever had, but well worth the journey! CLICK HERE to learn more about the Fellowship of the Broom.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time commitment?

We believe that consistency is an important part of building strong team relationships, so we expect our team members to attend regularly and participate fully year-round. While we are flexible in attendance so that our members can prioritize their health, education and family, we ask that if your student and family cannot commit to attending at least 75% of the meetings and events each month, you discuss this with us prior to joining to the team. Attendance at all competitions is mandatory.

Fellowship of the Broom Time Commitment:

  • Team meeting every Tuesday 5:30 - 8:30 pm June-April (holidays excluded)

  • Robot Work Days the 1st Saturday of each month 10:00 am - 4:00 pm September - February

  • Full Day Scrimmages & Competitions (1-2 Saturdays in November, 1 Saturday in December, 2-3 Saturdays in January and February)

  • Team Outreach Events and Fun Field Trips (1-2/ month June - August, 1/month September - April)

  • Full Day Kick Off (Saturday, September 7, 2024)

  • Broomfield Robotics Club Annual Celebration Sunday May 4, 2025 3:00-5:00 pm

BroomBots Time Commitment:

  • Team meeting every Wednesday 5:30 - 9:00 pm June - April (holidays excluded)

  • Drive Team practice and additional work sessions as needed on Thursdays 5:30-9:00 pm December - February (or April if team qualifies for worlds)

  • Robot Work Days, or FIRST Volunteering, or Competitions 3 Saturdays/month September - February (or April if team qualifies for worlds)

  • Team Outreach Events and Fun Field Trips (3-4/ month June - August, 1/month September - April)

  • Early Engineers mentoring 4th Friday of the Month 5:45-7:45 August-April

  • Summer Camp volunteering June 17-21, 2024

  • Full Day Kick Off Saturday, September 7, 2024

  • World Championships (If the team qualifies) April 14-19, 2025

  • Broomfield Robotics Club Annual Celebration Sunday May 4, 2025 3:00-5:00 pm

Where do you meet?

All meetings are held in our workshop at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church at 1700 10th Avenue in Broomfield, CO. Holy Comforter is our generous host, but Broomfield STEM and our teams are not religiously oriented, and people of all or no faith backgrounds are welcome.

How much does it cost to join an FTC team?

The cost per student is $180/semester, which helps cover team registration fees, robot supplies, team shirts, field trips, etc. The team fee does not include food or travel expenses, which are the responsibility of each student's family. If travel costs are estimated to exceed $400 per student in a season, the team will conduct fundraising activities to help offset the additional cost for families. However, we cannot guarantee additional funding.

The student fees cover a small fraction of what it costs to run an FTC team, and we are grateful for our donors and corporate sponsors who help us keep the cost down for our families. We never want finances to be a barrier to access for students who want to participate, so monthly payments and full and partial scholarships are available upon request. Scholarships for travel expenses are also available when needed.

Any help parents can offer in finding donations, grants and sponsorships is most appreciated. This allows us to keep fundraisers to a minimum.

Do you provide transportation?

Transportation of  students is primarily the responsibility of the families, but FTC families and mentors do work together to ensure all students are able to attend special events and competitions. If regular transportation presents a challenge for your family, please contact us to see if special arrangements can be made.

What skills and technology does a student need to join a team?

Students entering our FTC teams do not need to have any prior robotics or technology experience to join our team. There is also no minimum GPA or academic requirements - just a desire to learn and a willingness to work hard. Students with Autism, Dyslexia, and who are learning English as a Second Language have all found success on our teams.

Access to a tablet, Chromebook or computer and the internet at home is very helpful, but not required. Please let us know if this is a limitation for your student. Please note that all FTC students will need to use online programs such as Slack, On Shape, Git Hub, Canva, YouTube, and Google Suites while on the team. Each student will also need their own personal email address to access these programs.

When can I join?

The best time to join FTC is in the spring (March) or summer so new students have time to learn basic skills and get to know their teammates before the teams gets their new challenge in early fall. If space is available, we may make exceptions for mid-season starts on a case by case basis.

How do new students join a team?

Click on the buttons below to add a student’s name to a team waitlist. Students are selected off of the waitlist as space becomes available based on a number of criteria, including the age and gender balance of the team, if siblings are currently enrolled on a Broomfield Robotics Team, if a parent volunteers for Broomfield STEM, if the student has attended other Broomfield STEM events or programs, and how long a student/family has been on the waitlist.

UPDATE July 20, 2024:

At this time the BroomBots is full for the 2024-2025 season. There are still two spots available on The Fellowship of the Broom for girls in grades 7-9 and scholarships are also available for those two spots if needed. (We love boys, too, but due to team grant requirements, this team must be at least 50% female.) If your student is interested in participating in the 2025-2026 season, please add them to the waitlist now. This will also help us gauge interest for future teams and programs.

Meet the Mentors

  • Aaron

    Fellowship Hardware Mentor

    Aaron has been working in electronics since 2015 when he enlisted as an aircraft avionics technician in the Colorado Air National Guard. He studied electrical engineering at CSU and now he works in Westminster designing antennas. Aaron plays the organ, the french horn, and the hurdy-gurdy. He enjoys reading, hiking and playing music and he has a hamster named Valentine.

  • Anna

    Fellowship Lead Operations Mentor & Team Coordinator

    Anna grew up in Colorado and went to CSU in Fort Collins. Her degree is in French with a minor in Music, but for the first 2 years of her college, she was in the engineering program. Anna did 4-H growing up, and did VEX robotics in high school. She was a mentor on the Broombots for the 2023-2024 season, and is excited to be a mentor for the new FTC team!

  • Ayesha

    Fellowship Lead Software Mentor

    I am an Electrical Engineer in Climate Tech and an open-source hardware maker. I have worked on fruit-harvesting robots, the first all-electric RV, and the electrification efforts of Ryobi power tools. I also create "pretty" circuit boards for STEAM outreach and other open-source hardware projects to make Electrical Engineering education accessible. I am the founder of Sparkletronics (my own lil STEAM outreach venture) and am associated with Reinvented Magazine’s Princesses with Power Tools and other programs aimed at gender equity in STEM. When I’m not playing with electronics, I can be found learning tricks in the skatepark on my purple roller skates.

  • Billy

    Fellowship Software Mentor

    Billy graduated in 2016 from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Computer Engineering. During that time, he had the privilege of representing the university in the NASA Robotic Mining competition by building a dual servo-mounted camera vision system for our autonomous robot and being the designated backup driver. He has also volunteered as a Robot Inspector and Control System Advisor for the FIRST Robotics NC State championship and was incredibly impressed with the all robots that he got to see. Billy moved to Colorado from the east coast in 2021 and absolutely loves the natural beauty that it has to offer. He loves to hike and explore new places, and also really enjoys skiing and playing tennis.

  • Carson

    Fellowship Lead Hardware Mentor

    Carson spent 4 years on FTC Team 11260 learning CAD and robot design and 1 year on FRC team 1619 on the Fabrication Sub-team. He was a Dean’s List Finalist from Colorado in 2021, the same year his team won the FTC World Championship! He has volunteered for the last 4 years as a referee and game announcer for FLL and FTC. Carson is currently a sophomore at CU Boulder where he is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He is also a member of the Engineering Honors Program, loves D & D and is thrilled to now be a FIRST mentor!

  • Clara

    Clara

    BroomBots Team Coordinator

    Clara is a trained therapist, and an avid robotics mom who keeps the team running. In addition to being the administrative director for Broomfield STEM, Clara enjoys teaching students how to plan logistics, communicate, and present what they’re doing for others.

  • Dryw

    BroomBots Lead Software Mentor

    Dryw is a FTC alumni, a former FIRST intern, and a graduate of Colorado School of Mines. He works as an Electrical Engineer at Spark Fun, and is a (Field Technical Assistant) FTA for Colorado FTC. Dryw worked with WPI and Digikey to design the new XRP practice robots. He also engineered the new FTC Optical Odometry sensor for Spark Fun, and was named a Colorado FIRST Volunteer of the year in 2024.

  • Harlie

    BroomBots Hardware Mentor

    Harlie is a FTC alumni and a junior at CU Boulder where she is studying Aerospace Engineering. Harlie brings her love of engineering and math to the team, along with some awesome FIRST dancing skills!

  • Ian

    BroomBots Lead Hardware Mentor

    Ian is an electrical engineer by trade with a PhD from CU Boulder and >20 years experience in hardware development. This is his third year as an FTC mentor after supporting his oldest son through five years of FIRST on another team.

  • Jamie

    BroomBots Lead Operations Mentor

    Jamie has 6 years of experience as an FTC mentor, and holds a Master’s Degree in ESL and Multicultural Education. She is passionate about building inclusive communities in which students can learn and grow, and she is excited to help expand competitive robotics in the Broomfield community.

  • Jo-Anne

    Fellowship Hardware Mentor

    Jo-Anne recently retired as a Colonel from the US Army where she managed medical operations and human resources. She is excited to join Broomfield Robotics in her retirement, and enjoys hiking, biking, a friendly game of pickleball and driving the backroads of America in her spare time.

  • Joel

    Fellowship Software Mentor

    I am a father of 3 wonderful teenage children and a longtime software engineer (nearly 30 years!). I currently work as a software architect at a medical data analytics company called Inovalon. I love cycling, skiing, video games and spending time with my family.

  • Katie

    Fellowship Hardware & Operations Mentor

    Katie is a homeschool parent who watched her child go through a FRC Robotics season. It was so much fun that she had to go find her own robotics team! She is a firm believer in experiential education, and spent the better part of six years traveling around the country in a camper going to museums, planetariums, caves, mines, factory tours, etc. She is trained as a medical doctor and has lab research experience. For fun Katie likes to learn just about anything and spend time in nature with her family and their dog.

  • Kevin

    BroomBots Software Mentor

    Kevin grew up in Broomfield and learned programming in elementary and middle school. For most of his career, he has been a consultant to businesses trying to innovate new products or processes. He has enjoyed supporting non-profit organizations as treasurer, because making sure that side is done well enables others to better focus on the mission of the organization.

  • Laine

    BroomBots Hardware Mentor

    Laine started his life in STEM competing in Technology Student Association through middle and high school in Centennial, CO. After complete his Bachelor's degree at the Colorado School of Mines in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, he started his career of designing and building custom robotics for cleaning up nuclear waste. He spent several years mentoring FTC team #6929 Data Force until they all graduated. The last several years, he has been serving as an FTC referee in Colorado and is excited to share his knowledge with the Broombots!

  • Logan

    Fellowship Software Mentor

    Logan has been a software engineer in TypeScript for 3+ years and in Python for 4+ years. Even before that he mentored students of all ages in various levels of math up to and including Calculus 2. He is currently attending WGU for a Bachelors in Computer Science and he recently started a business bringing IT infrastructure opportunities to small businesses.

  • Stan

    BroomBots Hardware Mentor and Tool Manager

    Stan has a background in mechanical engineering and building inspection. He followed FTC for several years and volunteered as an FTC judge before signing on as a mentor.