Creativity, collaboration, and technology took center stage as students from across the nation competed in the Adventist Robotics FIRST LEGO League Championship at Forest Lake Academy on Sunday, May 3, 2026. The event brought together students in grades 4-8 from Adventist schools, homeschool groups, and communities from across the country for a day of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning, innovation, teamwork, and competition. Teams participating in the championship advanced through qualifying tournaments held nationwide, including a Florida qualifying event on March 29, 2026.
The competition extended beyond the robot field. In addition to programming LEGO robots to execute missions, students presented innovation projects, demonstrated robot design principles, and were evaluated on core values such as teamwork, collaboration, and gracious professionalism.
Several teams achieved scores above 400, among the highest recorded in the Adventist Robotics program. The highest scoring team was Robo Gators of the Lost Park, a homeschool team from Bradenton, Fla. The Champion’s Award, which recognizes excellence across all competition categories, was earned by the Marcus Bartholomew III, juniorr team from West Coast Christian Academy in Bradenton, Fla., the Conference’s longest-running school, operating continuously since 1892.
In addition to the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Championship, Adventist Robotics hosted a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Championship for grades 7-12 on April 12, 2026, also held at Forest Lake Academy. This event brought together 21 teams from across the United States and internationally, including a team from Mexico. FTC challenges middle and high school students to design, build, program, and operate larger, competition-ready robots in head-to-head matches.
Sponsored by the Florida Conference Office of Education and led by Mel Wade, IT director for education, Adventist Robotics seeks to engage children and youth in STEM education while fostering Christian values, critical thinking, creativity, communication, and teamwork. The program also provides students with opportunities to discover and develop their gifts in a collaborative environment where every participant can grow and succeed.
Adventist Robotics activities and events challenge students and educators to remain at the cutting edge of technology and innovation. They also involve many volunteers and families who continue to support these initiatives, encouraging young people to use their talents for God’s glory.
Florida | July 2026
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