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 is the first FTC team from southwestern Vermont to qualify.
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.
Support Our Trip
Competing at Worlds adds an estimated $20,000 to our season budget, from registration fees, travel, lodging, shipping, and improvements to the robot.
Donate to support our trip: all donations are tax-deductible through Bennington Area Makers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
See our full budget | Our 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.