LAWRENCE CO. – The 4-H Club Superior STEAM is celebrating a successful FIRST Robotics season, with achievements ranging from state-level competition to individual recognition, paving the way to the World Championship.
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Team #19366 CTF (Certified Tech Freaks), the capstone team for Superior STEAM, competed at the FIRST Indiana Robotics State Championship at the University of Indianapolis. This event marked the end of the FTC season for Superior STEAM in Indiana, though other robotics events, including the World Championship in Houston, are still to come.
CTF, comprised of six students from three school districts, has consistently demonstrated excellence, competing at the State Championship every year since joining FTC in the 2021-22 season. FTC is the middle division of the FIRST Robotics Program, challenging teams globally with a new game each year. With approximately seventy FTC teams in Indiana, the State Championship featured the top twenty-eight. At the championship, CTF’s robot finished 23rd, and the team earned the prestigious Motivate Award.
In addition to team awards, FIRST Tech Challenge offers the Dean’s List Award, which recognizes outstanding student leadership and dedication. CTF nominated Mitchell High School Junior Andino (Andy) Scarfone, a founding member of CTF and Superior STEAM. Andy’s leadership, Gracious Professionalism, and embodiment of FIRST Core Values led to his nomination. Following an interview, Andy was selected as one of three students from Indiana to be named a Dean’s List Finalist. This achievement qualifies him to compete at the FIRST World Championship in Houston next month.
Superior STEAM’s success extends beyond CTF. Their other FTC team, #24178 Fast Food Robotics, consistently performed well in their qualifying tournaments, finishing in the top fifteen in all three, with two sixth-place finishes, and advancing to the playoffs in each. They also secured the 2nd Place Connect Award at the Shoals Tournament.
The club’s FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams also excelled this season. The Robotillers won the Robot Performance Award and the Peer Award at the qualifying tournament at Center Grove. The Robot Performance Award is given to the team with the highest score in the robot game. The Peer Award recognizes Gracious Professionalism® and Core Values demonstrated to fellow competitors.
The Brazilian Flying Squirrels were an Innovation Project Finalist in Center Grove, recognized for their well-regarded solution to a problem related to the year’s game theme.
The Robotillers, the Brazilian Flying Squirrels, and the STEAMROLLERS qualified for the Southern Semi-State Tournament. The STEAMROLLERS were a Core Values Finalist at the Semi-State Tournament and qualified for the State Championship.
While the FIRST Robotics season will officially conclude after CTF travels to support Andy at the World Championship in Houston, Superior STEAM offers several other Annual Pipeline Programs (APPs). These include “Think Like an Engineer,” currently held every Friday for youth aged 4-12, and STEAM Week, Mechatronics, and LEGO Lessons, which will begin after the school year ends. Information about these programs and registration can be found on the Superior STEAM website: superiorsteam.org.
About Superior STEAM:
Superior STEAM, operating through the Lawrence County Purdue 4-H Extension Office, is a year-round youth development program dedicated to inspiring and educating the next generation of scientists, artists, engineers, innovators, and leaders. The club provides diverse activities to introduce students of all ages to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) principles. Learn more at superiorsteam.org.
About FIRST Robotics:
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an international non-profit organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989. FIRST programs have been proven to impact STEM learning, interest, and skill-building, providing experiential workforce development skills for STEM industries. Participants can access educational and career opportunities, scholarships, and a lifelong connection to the FIRST community. Learn more at firstinspires.org.
About FIRST Indiana Robotics:
FIRST Indiana Robotics is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK -12) in schools and after-school programs in Indiana. Supported by a global network of volunteers, educators, and sponsors, including Fortune 500 companies, teams engage in research, fundraising, design, construction, and competition, guided by FIRST Core Values. Learn more at firstindianarobotics.org.
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