Dos Pueblos High School-based, Octobots Robotics Team, an all-volunteer club of more than 30 high school students, recently returned from the 2026 FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas where the team competed alongside some of the top high school robotics programs in the world.
Qualifying for the World Championship represents a significant achievement in itself, as more than 3,700 teams worldwide compete each season for the opportunity to advance to the international event and only the top 16% (600 teams) earn a spot. Team Octobots spent months designing, building, programming, and testing a competition robot while also developing leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Reflecting on her time in Octobots this session, Alyssa Flores, a Junior at Dos Pueblos High School shares, “As a first-generation student, Octobots introduced me to parts of the engineering world I never would have been exposed to otherwise, giving me the confidence to pursue a future in STEM and completely changing how I think about my education and career goals.”
Maksim Ivanov, also a Junior at Dos Pueblos High School shares, “Octobots is a place where I can challenge myself and meet people who want to do the same. I take inspiration from my peers – seeing how others overcome problems and learning from their work makes me better.”
During the multiple-day championship competition earlier this month, students collaborated under intense time constraints, adapted to technical challenges, and demonstrated innovation and professionalism. In addition to competing on the field, team members connected with peers and exchanging ideas.
Reflecting on the experience, Octobots Robotics lead mentor Michael Ramsey shares, “Our students, with the humbling support of our community, were given the opportunity to compete on the biggest competitive stage in robotics. Meeting teams from around the world, all united by STEM, left a memorable impact on all of us.”
Octobots won five of their eight qualifying matches in Houston, falling just short of making it to their division semi-finals.
Team Parent, Diana Pereira shares, “The community support this season meant so much to the team. After a second-place finish at the state level, we had two weeks to raise funds, upgrade the robot, and coordinate travel to the World Championship in Houston. The community really came through for these students. At Octobots, we believe every student deserves a seat at the opportunity table, regardless of background, financial circumstance, ability, or experience level. We are open to everyone and we work hard to remove obstacles for our students. With the generosity of the community, not a single student who wanted to participate, was left behind.”
The team would like to thank its mentors, families, sponsors, and community supporters for their encouragement and contributions this season.
Looking ahead, Octobots Robotics is hosting their second year of Octobots Robotics Summer Camp for rising students in grades 5 through 9 from June 22 to August 7. Only a few spots remain and signups are available online at https://www.teamoctobots.org/camps.
About Octobots Robotics Team 9084
Established by a small group of high school students and volunteer mentors in 2023 as the only FIRST FRC Robotics team for grades 9 through 12 in the Goleta and Santa Barbara area, Octobots Robotics is an all-volunteer, all-inclusive team of 30 to 40 high school students based out of Dos Pueblos High School. The program is dedicated to inspiring students to become science and technology leaders and innovators by engaging in mentor-based programs and competitions that build engineering and technology skills. The team is further committed to promoting STEM education in the community, volunteering at local science nights, community fairs, and through a summer camp for students entering grades 5 through 9. Octobots is currently ranked in the top 6% (236 out of 3,702) of FIRST Robotics teams in the world, top 7% (195 out of 2,930) in the United States, and top 10% (26 out of 290) in the highly competitive California district. Visit www.teamoctobots.org for more information.
About FIRST Robotics
FIRST Robotics is an international robotics program that challenges students to design, build, and program industrial-sized robots while fostering leadership, creativity, and collaboration. FIRST’s mission is to inspire young people to become science and technology leaders and innovators. Visit www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc for more information.
