Members from the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab returned home from the 2026 FIRST Championship presented by BAE Systems. with a milestone worth celebrating.
In its inaugural season, Tiger Robotics (Team 10979) earned the FIRST® Rising All-Star award, a distinguished honor recognizing teams with exceptional potential, resilience and long-term promise within the FIRST community.
For a first-year team, this distinction places Tiger Robotics among the most promising robotics programs in the world.
Consisting of 22 high school students across Philadelphia, who are members of the TGR Learning Lab, Tiger Robotics gives young people from diverse schools, neighborhoods and backgrounds access to advanced engineering, programming and team-based learning experiences.
Over the course of a three-month competition season, team members designed, engineered and built Tinker Tiger, a custom industrial-scale competition robot developed to perform in high-stakes field gameplay challenges. Along the way, members developed technical skills in mechanical design, coding, CAD, fabrication and communications while building leadership, confidence and a deep sense of teamwork.
The team’s journey to Houston was already historic. Earlier this year, Tiger Robotics earned the Rookie All-Star Award at both district competition events, securing its place at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in its inaugural season.
At Worlds, members elevated their impact even further.
The FIRST Rising All-Star Award, introduced in 2025, recognizes young and emerging teams that are building strong foundations, overcoming challenges and demonstrating exceptional promise for the future. More than a rookie recognition, the award honors teams already showing the potential to create meaningful, lasting impact in engineering, outreach and team development.
To earn the honor on the world stage is an extraordinary accomplishment and a reflection of what Tiger Robotics is building both on and off the competition floor.
Throughout championship week, members competed alongside top teams from around the globe while also engaging with industry professionals, exploring emerging technologies and experiencing what it means to be part of a worldwide engineering community. They represented Philadelphia, their schools and the TGR Learning Lab community with creativity, professionalism and pride.
As the only FIRST® Robotics Competition team based in West Philadelphia, the program is helping expand access to advanced STEM learning and career-connected opportunities for young people in the region. Members gain hands-on experience in engineering, programming, communications and operations while also building relationships, mentorship connections and confidence that will support them far beyond robotics.
Several members already serve as Learning Lab interns, helping younger members explore robotics, coding and 3D design, creating a pipeline of mentorship and inspiration for the next generation of innovators.
Tiger Robotics’ inaugural season has already set a strong foundation, but this milestone is only the beginning.
Their success at the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship reflects what becomes possible when young people are given access to opportunity, trusted with big challenges and supported by a community that believes in their potential.
The future is bright for Tiger Robotics, and for the many members who will follow in their path.
We believe opportunity is universal and potential is limitless. Learn more about our TGR Learning Labs are empowering the next generation of learners to learn, grow and achieve their dreams.
About Tiger Robotics
Tiger Robotics (Team 10979) is a student-led FIRST® Robotics Competition team based at the TGR Learning Lab Philadelphia. The team brings together high school members from across Philadelphia to participate in hands-on engineering, programming and outreach experiences through the Learning Lab’s Career-Connected Learning programs.
In its inaugural season, Tiger Robotics earned Rookie All-Star honors at both district events, advanced to the FIRST Robotics World Championship and received the FIRST Rising All-Star Award on the world stage, recognizing the team’s exceptional promise, resilience and future impact.
Tiger Robotics is made possible through the support of partners and champions who believe in expanding access to opportunity, including Comcast, the United States Department of War STEM, the Neubauer Family Foundation and the continued support of the Philadelphia community.
Learn more about Tiger Robotics at: https://10979.org
