Grit, Gears and Glory

For one electrifying weekend in Houston, Peddie Robotics Team 5895 went head-to-head with the world’s best high school engineering teams. And they proved, without a doubt, that they were more than up to the challenge.

After a dominant season on the regional circuit, including a nail-biting finish at the FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Championship, Team 5895 sealed their spot at the 2025 FIRST Championship, the pinnacle of the robotics season.

Held April 16-19, the championship brought together more than 600 globally top-ranked teams. Peddie arrived in Houston with serious momentum. They were ranked 30th out of 3,690 teams by Statbotics and 32nd by the media outlet First Updates Now. By the end of the weekend, they had cemented their place among the elite. Peddie won the Milstein Division title and secured a coveted spot on the Einstein Field — the championship round reserved for the top eight alliances.

“They’re a very dedicated group that loves the intellectual challenge of creating a machine that can compete at the highest level,” said Lead Mentor Robert Tackett. “As a result of their efforts, the team performed among the top robots in the world.”

The FIRST Championship divides teams into eight divisions, each named for a notable scientist. Peddie competed in the Milstein Division, where after two days of hard-fought qualification matches, they were selected by NASA-sponsored Team 118, the #2 seed, as the first pick for Alliance 2. (Robots compete in alliances of three, randomized during qualification matches and later strategically drafted by top-ranked teams for the playoffs.)

Alliance 2 emerged victorious in a dramatic final against Alliance 1, earning the title of Milstein Division Champions.

Team Mentor Kevin Brown kept the Peddie community in the loop with regular email updates and livestream links. “We won our tournament,” he reported after the division finals. “Only 8 alliances and 24 robots are left competing.”

The win advanced Peddie to Einstein Field, only the second time in the team’s 10-year history. Their alliance was eliminated in the second round of the double-elimination playoffs. Still, Peddie Robotics cemented its status as one of the most respected teams on the global stage.