Mandeville High School Robotics Team 2992 Advances to FIRST® Championship in Houston
Our team is so excited to be heading to the FIRST Championship, also known as “Worlds,” happening April 30 – May 2, 2026, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. This is one of the biggest robotics competitions in the world, bringing together over 600 of the top teams from over 70 countries. Out of roughly 3,700 teams, only the top 10% make it this far, and we’re very proud to be one of them.
Team 2992 earned our spot at Worlds after a strong showing at the Tallahassee Regional earlier this season. We competed in this year’s game, REBUILT℠ presented by the Gene Haas Foundation, where robots are challenged to rebuild a fragmented system by collecting, moving, and assembling game pieces across the field. It’s a fast-paced game that really tests how well teams can design, adapt, and think on their feet.
On top of competing, this season has been huge for us when it comes to awards. We received the FIRST Spirit Award for bringing energy and positivity everywhere we go. One of the things we’re most proud of is our Buoy Bags initiative, where we create mental wellness kits to help reduce stress and anxiety at competitions, not just for our team but for other teams as well. Our teammate Larry F. was named a FIRST Leadership Award Finalist for his dedication to the team and community. Our head coach, Michael Adams, was recognized as a Woodie Flowers Finalist, which honors mentors who go above and beyond to inspire their students. We also earned the Excellence in Engineering Award and the Innovation in Control Award for our robot design and programming.
The team also wants to give a huge thank you to all of our sponsors who make everything we do possible, including Chevron, NASA, DOWSTEM, the City of Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish Public Schools, the Gene Haas Foundation, Intuitive, Cantium LLC, Intralox, Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Navy, PSX, Louisiana Seafood, Entergy, Northshore Plastic Surgery, Livaudais Electrical and Construction, and many more.
More Than Robots: Buoy Bags Hit the Competition Floor
Team 2992 is proud to introduce one of our newest outreach efforts this season, our Buoy Bags initiative. This idea came directly from our team members, who noticed just how stressful and overwhelming competitions can get and wanted to find a way to help. With loud arenas, tight match schedules, and constant pressure, it is easy for anyone to feel overstimulated. We felt it was important to create something that reminds people to pause and take care of their mental health, even in the middle of competition.
Each Buoy Bag is a small mental wellness kit designed to help teams reset and recharge. They include simple items meant to reduce stress, such as sour candies, fidget toys, coloring books, stress balls, stickers, and more. We handed these out at our regional competitions throughout the season; and seeing the smiles and appreciation from other teams made the entire effort worth it. Hopefully, they brought a little bit of fun and relief to an otherwise high-pressure environment.
This initiative would not have been possible without the support of our community. We want to give a huge thank you to the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center (TNBRC), Lakeview Regional Medical Center, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for their generous donations, as well as all of our robotics families who contributed and helped us assemble the bags.
Buoy Bags are a reminder that robotics is about more than just competition. It is about looking out for each other, building a supportive community, and making sure everyone feels encouraged and included.
It’s Official — July 19th is Robotics and STEM Awareness Day in St. Tammany Parish!
You read that right — our team, Mandeville High School Robotics Team 2992, “The S.S. Prometheus,” was recognized by the St. Tammany Parish Council for our incredible impact on the community and our commitment to STEM education. They also declared July 19, 2025 as Robotics and STEM Awareness Day across the entire parish!
This honor was presented to us with a Certificate of Recognition from Councilwoman Maureen “Mo” O’Brien and the entire Parish Council, acknowledging our hard work both on and off the field. We were recognized for not only dominating in competitions (we’ve won three regionals and made it to the World Championship in Houston almost every year!) — but also for changing lives through STEM outreach.
From our STEMFest that brings hands-on science to kids of all ages, to mentoring rookie teams, and hosting the Northshore Knockout, which is our biggest off-season robotics competition. We’re showing how robotics can truly build up a community.
Getting a day named in our honor is wild, and it proves that what we’re doing matters. We’re not just building robots. We’re building the future.
So next time July 19th rolls around, you know what to celebrate.
Happy Robotics and STEM Awareness Day!
MHS Robotics Students Learn how to Advocate for STEM in D.C.!
Select members of Team 2992 are honored with the chance to represent not just our school, but the entire state of Louisiana at the National Advocacy Conference (NAC) in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Student Association for STEM Advocacy (SASA).
So… what’s SASA?
SASA is an awesome student-led organization that empowers teens like us to actually make a difference in the world of STEM education. Through hands-on workshops, real policy discussions, and meetings with U.S. Representatives and Senators, SASA teaches students how to advocate for better access to STEM programs nationwide. Yep, that means we meet face-to-face with lawmakers on Capitol Hill!
Why does it matter?
SASA believes that every student deserves access to science, technology, engineering, and math opportunities — and so do we. By speaking up for robotics, coding, and STEM funding, we’re helping shape the future of stem in our State.
We’re incredibly proud to send representatives from Mandeville High to D.C. to learn how to raise their voices for robotics and STEM programs. It’s more than just a trip, it’s a chance to change the game.
Wanna get involved next year and support our team? Reach out to us to find out how. Also check out the SASA page to learn more.
NAMI Walks 2025
NAMIWalks is a nationwide event hosted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness to raise awareness and support for mental health advocacy, education, and services. By participating, communities come together to promote mental health for all and reduce stigma through unity and visibility.
Our team was grateful to participate in this important event and help raise mental health awareness. We displayed our robot and sphero bots and has a LEGO robot table for the participants to build and enjoy.
Team 2992 Honored by the Louisiana House of Representatives!
We’re beyond proud to share that Mandeville High School Robotics Team 2992, “The S.S. Prometheus,” was officially recognized by the Louisiana House of Representatives with a state resolution celebrating our work in STEM and community outreach!
That’s right — our team received House Resolution No. 200, presented by Representative Carver during the 2025 Legislative Session. It commends our hard work, leadership, and impact not just in robotics competitions but in our efforts to make STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) accessible across the state.
From mentoring rookie teams and running the Northshore Knockout competition to launching STEM kits and hosting STEAMFest with partners like NASA and Chevron, we’ve shown that robotics is about way more than just building a robot, it’s about building a community.
We’ve helped over 38,000 students explore STEM, and we’ve done it with heart: hosting food drives, mentoring teams, giving out fee waivers, and spreading the message of “Gracious Professionalism” wherever we go.
This resolution proves what we already knew: Team 2992 is making a real difference. And we’re so honored that the Louisiana Legislature sees that too. From our shop in Mandeville to the Capitol in Baton Rouge (and even all the way to D.C. for SASA), we’re proud to represent our school, our parish, and our state.
Geaux Mandeville. Geaux Louisiana. Geaux STEM!
Mandeville High's Team 2992: Building More Than Robots at School
We're proud to share that our robotics team, Team 2992 from Mandeville High School, participated in the St. Tammany Parish School Board meeting this evening. Fresh from our victory at the Magnolia Regional Competition in Laurel, MS and our successful performance at the Bayou Regional in Kenner, we were excited to demonstrate our robot to board members who witnessed months of our collaborative effort and technical problem-solving in action.
We’re especially proud of our Outreach Captain, Larry, who stood confidently before the board to explain how our robotics program extends far beyond engineering. Through his presentation, Larry highlighted how Team 2992 helps us develop crucial life skills that prepare us for future careers and community leadership.
What makes our robotics program truly transformative is its comprehensive approach to education. While our robots may capture immediate attention, our program's greatest value lies in developing well-rounded students. As team members, we gain practical experience in business fundamentals through fundraising campaigns, media production, and community outreach initiatives. These skills complement our technical abilities in design, construction, and programming—creating a learning environment that mirrors real-world professional settings.
The impact of our Team 2992 reaches throughout our community, inspiring younger students to explore STEM fields and creating pathways for mentorship. We carry with us not just technical expertise but the values of teamwork, perseverance, and community service that define our program.
We're grateful for the opportunity to share our journey with the School Board and look forward to our continued journey in STEM.
#TeamWork #STEMEducation #MHSTeam2992 #WorldsBound
