FIRST Championship 2026
The FIRST Championship is the world’s largest K-12 robotics event, drawing over 19,000 students from over 60 countries to compete across four days of matches, judging, and awards in Houston, TX. 18650 Cookie Clickers was the first FTC team from southwestern Vermont to qualify.
Read about the trip: FTC 18650 at FIRST Championship
Dates: Wednesday - Saturday, April 29 - May 2, 2026
Location: George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, TX
FTC Event Page: CMPTX | Event Info | Event Guide (PDF)
How We Got Here
Cookie Clickers won the Inspire Award at the 2026 Vermont Championship, earning a direct advancement to the FIRST Championship. The Inspire Award is the top award in FTC, recognizing a team that embodies the mission of FIRST across all aspects of the program.
Trip Budget and Support
Competing at Worlds added $18,515 in cash expenses, plus $5,432 of donated airfare, for registration, travel, lodging, meals, and work on the robot.
Community donations and in-kind support funded the trip through Bennington Area Makers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
See the full budget | Donors and sponsors
Earlier Events
- Vermont Championship, March 7, 2026
- Northfield Qualifier, February 15, 2026
- Bennington Qualifier, January 31, 2026
What is FTC?
FIRST Tech Challenge is a robotics program for students grades 7-12. Teams design, build, and program robots to compete on a 12’x12’ field in alliance-based matches.