FIRST Robotics at CPS: FRC, FTC, and Season Launch

Walking through the aisles of SME’s North American Events, visitors are immediately surrounded by the cutting edge of industrial machinery. It is a loud, vibrant showcase of the latest in manufacturing technology. However, amid the buzz of progress, show goers will also find another type of display: SME Insights’ Mission Critical Workforce 2030 exhibit, where the conversation shifts from the machines on the floor to the people who build and operate them.

At SME’s recent FABTECH event, Greg Jones, Director of Strategic Programs and Partnerships with SME, sat down with Kevin Mendoza, the Computer Science Robotics Specialist for Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Their discussion provided a candid, on-the-ground look at one of the most impactful extra-curricular STEM programs in one of the largest public school districts in America—a program that is helping shape the nation’s future workforce.

The Long Road Back to Growth

Chicago’s FIRST Robotics program is one of the original programs of its kind. Mendoza’s perspective is unique because he has seen the program from both sides of the desk. "I started doing FIRST Robotics as a teacher and a mentor in about 2022," Mendoza explained during the interview. "About a year and a half ago, I left the classroom and came to the central office position, where I pretty much coordinate, consult, support, you name it,” for the district’s robotics teams.

The history of robotics in Chicago is deep, with one of CPS’ most active running continuously since 2006. However, the ecosystem is still recovering from a massive disruption. Mendoza described a thriving league of about 50 teams prior to 2020, a total that was cut in half during the pandemic.

Since taking his post at the central office, Mendoza’s mission has been stabilization and regrowth. Through initiatives like opening schools on Saturdays for events and providing centralized support, the numbers are climbing back. "We have 30 to 35 teams competing this season," Mendoza confirmed, adding that they also support about six large-scale high school teams. While he admits, "I wish it was more," the focus remains on quality over quantity to ensure these students have a meaningful experience.

Understanding the Pipeline: From LEGOs to Heavy Industry

To truly appreciate the "mission critical" nature of this work, it is important to understand the tiered system CPS supports, which creates a continuous pipeline of talent from pre-K to graduation.

The journey begins with the FIRST LEGO League (FLL). Targeting students ages 4-16, this program uses the universal language of LEGO bricks to introduce engineering concepts. As students enter middle and high school (grades 7-12), they graduate to the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), where they design and build metal robots for alliance-based competitions.

At the apex is the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for high schoolers (grades 9-12). These are not toys; they are complex machines built to solve rigorous field games. As Mendoza put it, "It’s a bigger beast, a bigger robot, so it comes with a lot more obstacles."

More Than Just a Competition: Running a Business

A recurring theme in the conversation was the misconception that robotics is strictly for computer scientists. Jones and Mendoza highlighted that a successful team functions like a small manufacturing startup. “I think it's super that CPS manages the first robotics teams through the computer science area, but there's so many other positions that team members have to be a part of on a first robotics team,” said Jones.

Mendoza agreed, listing builders, designers, machinists, and coders. But beyond the technical roles, there is a massive operational requirement. "There's also a business operation side of things that teams do as well, fundraising, gathering money, spending money, designing T-shirts, doing outreach," he said.

This multi-disciplinary approach ensures that students learn the soft skills—budgeting, marketing, and project management—that are crucial in the modern workforce.

Volunteers and Mentors Needed

Mendoza spoke enthusiastically about the roles the students play and the effort they put into their teams, but while the students provide great energy, they cannot survive without adult guidance. Mendoza was starkly honest about the burden placed on educators.

"We do pay our teachers some money to stay after school to work with teams," Mendoza said. "I'll be transparent. We pay 20 hours per teacher, but our teachers work 100, 200, 300 hours in a season easily. And that's time that they volunteer."

This is where the manufacturing industry has a responsibility to step in. It is not sustainable to rely solely on the goodwill of overworked teachers. Jones and Mendoza issued a rallying cry for industry professionals to volunteer as mentors. “Yeah, come to spend time with these teams, spend time with these kids, and teach them stuff. It can be a little daunting, but I promise they know more than a high schooler does,” said Mendoza.

When a professional engineer or machinist mentors a team, they aren't just helping build a robot; they are validating the career path. They are the living proof of where these skills can lead.

Funding and the Sports Comparison

Beyond time, there is the issue of money. Robotics is an expensive sport. “One of the primary reasons that teams don't maintain sustainability because it can be expensive to field these teams and buy all the equipment,” said Jones. "It is a weird elephant in the room because we want our kids to do really fun stuff, but robotics is not a cheap project to do," Mendoza admitted.

He drew a sharp comparison to traditional athletics, noting that while football and basketball are expensive, their funding is rarely questioned because they are culturally solidified as "sports." Mendoza argued that robotics deserves the same treatment. "I think the easiest fix would be for districts, not just CPS, but everywhere, to really look and fund robotics the same way they would football, baseball, basketball, badminton, bowling, you name it."

For now, the gap is often filled by corporate philanthropy. Mendoza pointed to the Children’s First Fund, CPS’s non-profit arm, which allows companies to donate directly to robotics. "Giving it to Children’s First Fund channels that money straight to CPS robotics, where that money will go straight to team registration, components, parts, motors, sensors, and then extra practice time."

Innovating for Access: The Windy City Windup

The cost barrier isn't just about parts; it's about access to competition. Registration for an official FRC event is roughly $6,000. To compete a second time—which is often necessary to iron out bugs and be competitive—costs another $3,000.

To solve this, the Chicago community took matters into its own hands. Mendoza highlighted the "Windy City Windup," an off-season event hosted at one of the district high schools in the fall. Spearheaded by coach Tony Schmidt, described by Mendoza as “our biggest coordinator,” the event drastically lowers the barrier to entry. "He really wanted to make an event that registration can be $500 or less," Mendoza explained. This allows teams to get their robots on the field, test autonomous modes, and train drivers without the crushing price tag of a regional championship. "When Tony approached us, we were like, yeah, we're behind this 100%."

Dinosaurs and "The Dot on the I"

The interview concluded with a look at a fascinating new partnership. With this season’s competition theme centered on archaeology, Mendoza saw an opportunity to connect with the Field Museum. “I was like, you know what? I’m going to go out there. I’m going to meet some people, and I did, so I befriended a paleontologist there, and essentially, I met with him two weeks ago, and I was like let’s collaborate somehow some way.” Mendoza said one of the biggest takeaways was simply to have the museum staff connect with the students and give them an opportunity to learn about archeology. The collaboration is yielding incredible opportunities for students to mix history with high-tech manufacturing. "They scan all of their bones, all of their artifacts. And so they have CAD files of it," Mendoza said. The museum is sharing files for objects like claws, teeth, and skulls that Mendoza hopes teams will be able to incorporate into their designs.

The museum partnership, along with the tireless work of mentors and the support of organizations like SME, creates the full picture. “The dot on the I is the critical thing, right?” said Jones. “Have a relationship with the industry, take kids on tours, show them what the jobs look like, and, you know, even get industry to partner some of the teams, too."

Mendoza agreed, acknowledging that while the school district provides the platform, the industry provides the destination for the students. "They're the future workforce. They're the future of everything."

Getting Involved

For more information about the FIRST Robotics program, watch the full interview below and contact Kevin Mendoza at CPS.