Donations directly support our team's activities including:

• Registration fees for regional and state competitions
• Robot parts and building materials
• Tools and equipment
• Team travel expenses
• Team uniforms and promotional materials

Yes, donations to our team are tax-deductible through our school district. We can provide documentation for your records upon request. Please consult your tax advisor for details on your specific situation.

Reach out through our contact page or visit the Support Us page to see our Red, Black, White, and Donation tier levels. We'll work with you to find the right fit for your business goals.

Absolutely. We welcome in-kind donations of tools, materials, and equipment. Use our Equipment Donation form to let us know what you have, or contact us to arrange a drop-off.

Yes! We welcome volunteers who can contribute time and expertise in mentoring, event planning, transportation, and more. Visit our contact page to express your interest.

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international high school robotics competition where teams design, build, and program industrial-size robots to play a challenging field game alongside allied teams. Students have just 6 weeks to build their robot, gaining hands-on experience in engineering, programming, teamwork, and leadership.

Build season kicks off in early January when the game challenge is revealed and runs for about 6 weeks. Competition season follows through March and April at district events. Teams that qualify advance to state championships, typically held in April.

FRC matches stream live on the official FIRST YouTube channel and Twitch. To follow Team 8041 specifically, The Blue Alliance is the best resource:

1. Visit thebluealliance.com/team/8041
2. Select an event from our schedule
3. Find our match and click the play button to watch

The Blue Alliance app is available for iOS and Android for real-time match tracking.

All past matches and results are archived on The Blue Alliance. Go to thebluealliance.com/team/8041 and scroll down to browse our competition history year by year. Every match result, ranking, and award is there going back to our founding.

Any Lake City student in grades 9-12 can join. No prior experience with robotics or programming is required - just enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Contact our coach, Brian Mason, at lcrobotics@lakecitytrojans.org or attend an informational meeting at the start of the school year.

Students build a wide range of technical and professional skills:

• Engineering design and mechanical assembly
• Programming and electrical systems
• CAD (Computer-Aided Design)
• Project management and teamwork
• Problem-solving and critical thinking
• Public speaking and presentation skills
• Marketing and business development

These skills apply directly to future careers in STEM and beyond.

During build season (January through mid-February), meetings are more frequent and intensive as the team works toward the build deadline. Outside of build season, meetings are lighter and focus on offseason projects, fundraising, and outreach. Competition weekends require travel.

Sponsor support and fundraising help keep costs accessible for students. Reach out to Coach Mason for specifics on any student fees and available assistance.