by Abigail Fain
Robotics competitions at the high school level have gained prominence throughout the last decade, giving kids a place to find community and expand their horizons. That is certainly true at Center Grove High School.
Dean Kamen, the founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics, says “we’re not using kids to build robots; rather, we’re using robots to build kids.”
FIRST is a global organization that prepares students to become leaders and innovators in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. In FIRST, students from pre-K through 12th grade engage with STEM in life-changing ways. FIRST has been part of Center Grove since 2003, when the first FIRST Lego League team was established for elementary and middle school students. Center Grove High School’s robotics program, FIRST Team 1741 Red Alert Robotics, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this spring.
Robotics can be intimidating. “I often felt totally out of my depth, but everyone on the team was incredibly encouraging and ready to teach,” says Max Newport.
With diverse teams worldwide, FIRST teaches that there is one language that can unite everyone – STEM.
Robotics is a competitive program, but unlike some other activities, robotics encourages teamwork with competitors. Teams compete in “alliances,” three randomly selected teams from different schools, during every match. FIRST’s value of “co-opertition” (competition and cooperation) fosters a supportive environment. This ranges from sharing parts between matches or spaces with teams leading up to competitions.
“FIRST taught me countless skills that extended beyond anything involving robotics or STEM,” says Chase Rivas, a former Center Grove Red Alert captain who served in many different roles on the team.
On Red Alert, the operations team is involved in business, social media and more. All students on Red Alert learn valuable interpersonal, leadership and technical skills. The team also engages in outreach events like a Trunk-or-Treat event, two summer camps, and demos of STEM around the community.
“My experience in practical engineering in FIRST was key in landing internships and building me into the engineer I am today,” says Newport. “I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to not only learn how to do something, but also to actually do it.”
These alumni feel FIRST equipped them with diverse skills going into college, ranging from engineering and programming to graphic design.
Current Awards Lead Sarah Hendrix echoes this sentiment. “It’s a unique opportunity for students to get experience in a professional setting,” she says.
Red Alert has had a successful last three years. In 2022 Red Alert qualified for the world championship after winning the Impact Award, the most prestigious award in FIRST, at the state championship. At the world championship, Red Alert finished as a finalist in their division. In 2024 Red Alert won the Imagery Award for their branding and social media, the Gracious Professionalism Award for helping other teams, and District Event Finalist honors at two events.
Those wins have helped build a sense of optimism for the team.
“We’ve designed our robot to stand out and I think we’re going to be very competitive,” says Design Captain Evan Gagne.
Red Alert is hosting the 2025 FRC Indiana State Championship at Center Grove High School on April 4 and 5.
This free event will feature the top robotics teams in the state and the immeasurable impact FIRST has had on countless lives. Additionally, the 2025 FIRST World Championship will be April 16 through 19 in Houston, Texas. If Red Alert qualifies for this event, community members can keep up with them via their social media profiles.
For more information about FIRST in Indiana, please visit firstindianarobotics.org.
Abigail Fain is a Center Grove High School senior and the operations captain of FIRST Team 1741 Red Alert Robotics. She will be attending IU Bloomington in the fall of 2025 for informatics.
