*Ideal for FTC teams*

This weeklong summer camp immerses rising 6th–9th graders in the real-world process of building an FTC-scale robot while working as part of one of two mini competitive teams. Guided step-by-step by experienced competitive robotics mentors, students get direct experience with electronics, Java programming, robot design, and hands-on troubleshooting as they prepare to take on the official 2026 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) DECODE Challenge—a global robotics game where teams design and program robots to solve engineering problems. 

Over the course of the week, teams will design, build, and market their own robots, learn how to brand and promote a team, and solve real problems faced by actual FTC teams. The camp concludes with a game-day test and a showcase. No previous coding or building experience is needed, everyone receives detailed mentorship and the chance to develop technical and teamwork skills in an engaging setting.

Great for FTC team outreach! Volunteer hours can be verified by Spark Gears and team can be listed and considered a partner with the organization, boosting competition judging.

Email us to set up a time to get more detailed information, or fill out the interest form below!

This 3-session Arduino mini-course is designed for grades 6–8 and is hands-on and beginner-friendly. Students see immediate results—lights, sounds, and motion—while building core engineering habits like testing, iterating, and debugging. Each session is standalone, so students can attend one, two, or all three and still complete a fun project.

By the end, students understand the big Arduino idea: hardware + code = interactive systems, and they’ve practiced a real engineering workflow: wire, upload, test, debug, improve.