By Alex Bryant | Executive Director
Dear Friends,
This season, we dove deep into growth, equity, and innovation—and we came up stronger than ever. The 2024–2025 FIRST® season, themed FIRST Dive, was one of our most strategic and community-powered years to date.
Across DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, we supported 6,592 students across 478 robotics teams, delivering life-changing experiences and technical learning opportunities. That includes:
112 FRC teams (2,800 youth)
266 FTC teams (3,192 youth)
100 FLL teams (600 youth)
→ Total: 6,592 student participants
A Season of Strategic Growth
For the first time since 2017, we saw growth in our FRC program. Not just new teams, but new energy, new ideas, and new champions.
We adopted FIRST LEGO League Explore in Maryland, completing the pipeline in this state and opening doors for our youngest learners. We planted seeds that will grow into future engineers, mentors, and leaders.
We expanded our geographic reach, hosting our first-ever event in West Virginia — a powerful signal that STEM belongs in every zip code.
We brought one of the world’s premier FTC competitions into our care, officially adopting the Maryland Tech Invitational — welcoming 40 teams from across the world to leave it all on the field.
First growth in FRC since 2017: 4.67% net growth with 93.5% retention
FTC grew to 266 teams, including 60 new teams and 75.7% retention
100 FLL Explore teams supported across Maryland schools and communities
263 community-based teams expanded reach in areas without direct school access
Program Presence in Schools
We witnessed the incredible outcome of our long-term partnership work: Fairfax County Public Schools, the 9th largest district in the country, is now guaranteeing one FIRST team per school — thanks to the tireless efforts and advocacy of Joey Kerns, a true champion of STEM access.
FRC offered in 83 schools
FTC offered in 148 schools
FLL Explore supported in 51 Maryland schools
Events hosted in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. plus West Virginia for the first time ever
Celebrating Champions
This year, 26 teams represented FIRST Chesapeake at the 2025 FIRST Championship in Houston.
9 of our 18 FRC teams advanced to division playoffs.
5 of our 7 FTC teams also made the playoffs.
Team 10224 MAV MECHANICS earned the Rookie All-Star Award — a FIRST Chesapeake first.
On the FTC side, Team 6417 Blu Cru earned 3rd place for the Innovate Award, and Team 18442 Gear Rotation took home 2nd place in the Motivate Award. Our FLL team 31851, M.A.J.A.S.S., won the Core Values Award.
We also celebrated 38 volunteers who traveled to Houston to serve, mentor, and represent our region with dignity and drive. And every member of the FIRST Chesapeake staff who attended also volunteered a full day of service. Because at FIRST, we lead by doing.
Women in STEM
We honored the future with our Women in STEM Award, recognizing four outstanding finalists who are reshaping the landscape of equity and excellence in STEM:
Addison T. | Julia M. | Aditi C. | Angela D.
This year, we also supported five teams who led webinars on bridging the gender gap in STEM, each receiving a grant from Qualcomm to amplify their work and expand their reach.
50+ applicants; 4 scholarships awarded (1 x $3K, 3 x $1K)
Hosted breakfast with Booz Allen Hamilton, Dominion Energy, and Dept. of Energy
Qualcomm funded 30+ teams with majority-female representation
Building Access, Leadership & Mentorship
We reimagined Geared Up, expanding our cohort model to support more rookie teams in both FTC and FRC.
We piloted our first STEM Hub at Virginia State University, where we started 5 new FTC teams in Southside VA, bringing together education, community, and equity in an exciting new model. We celebrated those teams last weekend with VSU’s First Lady Dr. Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdula.
And we launched new advisory committees to join our existing FTC and FRC Team Advisory Committee (TAC) whose persistent influence directly impacts teams every season. Our Volunteer Advisory Committee (VAC) helped to create and define volunteer role descriptions and streamline our processes to enhance recruitment and recognition of these critical members of our community.
And we are proud to share that Booz Allen Hamilton spearheaded outreach to military families, helping ensure that students on base have access to FIRST programming regardless of where they are stationed.
Because programs should be built with our community, not just for them.
Geared Up Expansion
FTC: 16 new teams launched; 165+ attended VSU showcase
FRC: 3 new teams formed in DC/MD (all competed in 2+ events)
90%+ of new mentors reported improved confidence and technical skill
Learning Together: Geared Up Mentor Conference
This year’s Mentor Conference expanded the pilot started in 2024, growing from 28 sessions to 45 and attracting national presenters from FIRST HQ, Booz Allen Hamilton, and West Coast Products.
154 registered attendees across FLL, FTC, and FRC
Top-rated sessions: Grants, Event Hosting, Judging, Neurodiversity
93 personalized schedules created; average feedback rating: 9.2/10
Hosting & Learning
This year, FIRST Chesapeake hosted:
17 FTC Qualifiers and 1 District Championship
7 FRC District Events and 1 District Championship
6 FLL Explore Festivals
We have learned a great deal from our hosts and our teams. We’re putting consistent systems in place to streamline how events are run, provide clarity for our generous hosts, and create reliable, high-quality experiences for teams and volunteers.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 season will bring with it opportunities as bold as our teams:
In July, we will partner with the Baltimore Orioles for a robot pitching competition. The winning team will throw the first pitch at Camden Yards. Yes, a robot. Throwing a baseball. In front of 40,000 fans.
In February, we will host a new, expanded FTC District Championship at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia — featuring 96 teams, making it the second-largest FTC event in the world.
In April, we return to Virginia State University for our FRC District Championship.
These are not just events. They are moments. Cultural touchpoints that position FIRST as central to the future of education, workforce, and innovation.
Thank you for making this possible. When you support FIRST Chesapeake, you’re not just funding robotics. You’re helping thousands of young people discover their confidence, their passion—and their future.
With gratitude,
Alex Bryant
Executive Director
FIRST Chesapeake
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