Inside the Titanium Knights robotics team, students discover that robotics is about more than just building a winning bot; it’s about building each other up.
FTC 15887 (Titanium Knights) Robots
With BCA’s signature pressure-cooker atmosphere, the Titanium Knights (First Tech Challenge Team 15887) are no exception. The team made headlines this season for earning a Think Award at Northeast Regionals and qualifying for the state competition, but what happens behind the scenes reveals far more than metal parts and code.
Split into two main subteams of Build and Code, the Titanium Knights function like a start-up: student-led, high-stress, and defined by problem-solving. While both teams contribute to success on the field, Build is often at the core of hands-on action. According to Sun Lee, an AAST freshman and Build subteam member, joining robotics was both exciting and overwhelming.
“At first, I didn’t really know what I was doing,” Sun admitted. “There were returning members who already had experience with tools and parts, and I kind of just stood there. But then someone asked me to help with the intake mechanism, and that’s when I felt like part of the team. There is never a robotics meeting that is not fun or busy”
Sun emphasized how welcoming the upperclassmen on Build were this year, something not always typical in highly competitive STEM clubs. “People think robotics is only for people who already know what they’re doing. But honestly, if you ask questions and show up, you learn. And that’s what happened to me.”
This season, the team’s FTC Regionals Think Award recognized their outstanding engineering portfolio and design process documentation, which is a rare honor for a team with new members still finding their rhythm. “It was surreal,” Sun said. “Winning the Think Award made us feel seen for how hard we worked behind the scenes.”
Still, the team isn’t without its challenges. Some students have pointed out that communication between subteams isn’t always smooth, and that coding can sometimes feel disconnected from build work. Others say that freshmen, especially in code, don’t always get the mentorship they need early on.
Despite these internal tensions, there’s one thing everyone agrees on: robotics teaches more than what’s in the manual. It’s about problem-solving under pressure, building trust with your teammates, and learning how to be heard in a crowded room.
As the Titanium Knights prepare for next season, students like Sun are hopeful. “I want to be one of the people who helps freshmen next year. I want to be someone who makes them feel like they matter. Because that made all the difference for me.”
In a school where excellence is the norm, the Titanium Knights show that success isn’t just measured in trophies, but rather in the confidence built, the skills shared, and the community forged. Whether you’re holding a screwdriver or writing code, there’s a place for everyone willing to learn, contribute, and grow. And as new members rise to take the lead, the legacy of the Titanium Knights continues.
