EMHS FIRST Robotics Team Wins First-Ever Creativity in Engineering Award

FORT WORTH — The East Mountain High School FIRST robotics team secured its first-ever Creativity in Engineering Award and reached the playoff rounds during its regional competition debut in Fort Worth.

Following a strong showing in the qualification matches, the team was selected to join the No. 6 alliance. East Mountain competed in three playoff matches before ultimately being eliminated by the top-seeded No. 1 alliance.

At the event, which was facilitated by FIRST in Texas — a nonprofit organization that engages more than 30,000 students statewide in STEM and robotics programming — the East Mountain team was recognized for its mechanical ingenuity. Judges presented the team with the Creativity in Engineering Award, marking a program first for the high school. The award highlighted the students’ innovative approach to overcoming limited spatial constraints while mounting a single-arm climbing hook on their robot.

The traveling roster representing East Mountain High School at the competition included team captain, safety captain and drive team coach Ian Kersh; match manager Davian Leyba; operator Nathan Leaming; driver Eli Lajeunesse; and technician Abe Mount.

While they did not attend the Fort Worth event, team members Aiden Means, Luke Means, Nate Means and Abran Allarid Pease were instrumental in designing and building the award-winning robot.

The East Mountain robotics team will return to the arena for its next competition in April in Amarillo, Texas.