Project Y Robotics Team 4153 of Los Alamos. Courtesy photo
Scene of a robotics competition. Courtesy photo
Robotics News:
For years, New Mexico high school robotics teams have traveled hundreds of miles to compete in Texas. Saturday, July 11, Project Y Robotics Team 4153 of Los Alamos is changing that by hosting ABQ RoboRumble, New Mexico’s premier FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) off-season event at St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an international organization that inspires students through competitive robotics. New Mexico teams compete as part of FIRST in Texas, making travel a significant barrier for many teams.
As the hosting team, Project Y 4153 has taken the lead in creating an off-season competition that brings teams together in New Mexico, helping strengthen existing programs while encouraging new ones to form.
“Our vision is to make FIRST Robotics more accessible for students across New Mexico,” mentor Andy Erickson said. “By bringing competitions closer to home, we’re reducing barriers for schools and creating opportunities for more students to participate. We’re already seeing new teams begin to form because of the excitement surrounding this event.”
Twelve teams are expected to compete in ABQ RoboRumble, but the event represents months of work by Project Y students, mentors, parents, and volunteers from across New Mexico. In addition to organizing the competition, the team has spent the summer preparing two competition robots. Following a successful 2026 season that included three FIRST in Texas events and qualification for the FIRST Regional Championship in Houston with J. Robot Oppenhopper, Project Y will also debut a second robot, General Leslie Grobot, and a second drive team.“
“General Leslie Grobot gives more students the opportunity to compete and develop the skills needed to operate a robot under competition conditions,” said Amelia Hill, Class of 2027, Team 4153’s Mechanical Lead and third-year Competition Robot Driver. “It’s helping us build depth within our team while creating even more collaboration with teams across New Mexico.”
“The competition is just fun,” said Sebastian Koglin, Team 4153 CEO and a third-year Competition Match Coach. “This is exactly the kind of event I would have loved to watch when I was younger. We hope students and families come experience the engineering, teamwork, and excitement of robotics.”
ABQ RoboRumble is free and open to the public, with opening ceremonies beginning at 8:30 a.m. on July 11 and matches continuing through the afternoon. Student ambassadors will provide VIP tours throughout the day, and visitors can cheer on two Los Alamos robots while getting a close-up look at the technology that is inspiring the next generation of engineers.
