REBUILT - 2026 Season
In REBUILT™ presented by Haas, a new challenge releasing January 10, 2026, FIRST Robotics Competition teams will use engineering skills and re-imagine the past.
Kickoff
With the start of the 2026 season, REBUILT has officially begun. Our season began with a fun kickoff event that allowed team members to bond while taking on challenges that encouraged teamwork and problem-solving. After the release of the game, we were fueled by our determination to create an incredible robot. Following the kickoff video, we began digging through all of our ideas as a whole team to decide where to get started. As in previous seasons, our amazing parents have played a vital role by helping construct the new game field. With their incredible support, we can begin planning and developing strategies for the robot. The game pieces are dense, small, yellow balls used to fuel the hub located near the center of the field. The main field elements, such as the hub, are made of wood that is carefully cut, drilled, and measured to perfection. Both MARS/WARS and MARS Minions are busy strategizing and creating to build the best robot. We're very excited to see this new season unfold.
Week 1
The MARS/WARS team has made significant progress since the release of the new game, REBUILT. Both the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams have been working through the early stages of the design and build process. A huge thank you goes out to our wonderful parents who have finished building the new field, and the team is incredibly grateful for their time and support.
Varsity: The Varsity Design team has created OnShape mockups for key components, including the shooters, hoppers, and funnels. They are now beginning to prototype the main designs for this year’s robot. While some elements present greater challenges than others, the team is determining the best solutions based on planned strategies. The Varsity Software team has been developing an initial software plan, with a major focus on computer vision training. This allows the robot to accurately distinguish between the floor and fuel even as the code becomes more complex. The software team has also been working on turret tracking for the main robot.
Junior Varsity: The Junior Varsity team’s plans closely mirror those of Varsity, as is typical at the start of the season. The JV Design team has split into four groups working on the hopper, intake, climber, and shooter, using components from previous robots as references. Online resources have also provided helpful inspiration. The JV Software team has been refining the programming for their swerve drive to ensure smooth operation and has upgraded to the latest software version. They are also working on the drive chain for their current test robot.
Business Services: The Business Services Crew has been planning Super Bowl squares and an upcoming Trivia Night scheduled for February 21st. Progress across all groups is going well, and the team is confident in its success this season.
Week 2
The MARS/WARS team has been working even harder during week two of the REBUILT season. Our progress on the robot has presented some challenges, but we’ve been tackling them with great effort and determination. With the support of our mentors and student leaders, the entire team has continued to move forward together. We’re making strong progress on the robot and are confident that this season will be a successful one. In addition, the robotics field is being upgraded with proper game pieces to better replicate the real competition environment.
Varsity: The Varsity Design team has been working on multiple shooter, hopper, and climber designs. While these projects have been challenging, the team has made great progress in developing solutions. Meanwhile, the Varsity Software team has been focusing on shooting game pieces while the robot is in motion. They have also made progress on hopper de-jamming and defining field regions.
Junior Varsity: The JV Design team has stayed busy prototyping the frame, shooter, intake, and climber. Balancing all of these components has been challenging, but the team is working hard to ensure their designs are well thought out. They recently held a design review with Varsity mentors to gather feedback and improve their concepts. The JV Software team has been developing code for the shooter, intake, drivetrain, climber, and their associated controls.
Business Services: The Business Services crew has been busy gearing up for Trivia Night, designing fun shirts and leveling up their videography skills along the way!
Week 3
The MARS/WARS team has been working hard this week as competitions are quickly approaching. Both teams are showing strong determination as they continue building and refining their robots. Along the way, we have also focused on field clean-up and improving storage organization. After all, a great bot comes from a clean and well-organized workspace.
Varsity:
The Varsity Design team has been putting in a lot of effort to create a robot design capable of completing all the tasks we are aiming for this season. After testing and exploring alternative designs, the competition bot is steadily progressing as the team works to determine the most effective features. Varsity Design is currently focused on several key areas, including autonomous coding, the shooter, and vision systems. Thanks to the outstanding collaboration between the Software and Design sub-teams, the robot continues to move forward successfully.
Junior Varsity:
The Junior Varsity Design team has been developing a base bot design with modifications to better suit competition needs. They are making great progress and have been working closely alongside Varsity, which has allowed for strong collaboration and learning. The JV Software team has been managing multiple tasks at once, including work on the shooter, drivetrain, and elevator.
Business Services:
The Business Service crew has been busy selling Super Bowl Squares and tables for the upcoming Trivia Night on February 21st, helping support the team and its activities.
Week 4
The MARS/WARS team has been doing an incredible job as competition quickly approaches. With competition also comes fundraising, and our biggest fundraiser of the year is Trivia Night on (February 21st). The team is asking for support from everyone—purchase a table and join us for a fun night in support of MARS/WARS. Our team relies on the support of our community, so if you haven’t bought a table yet, please consider doing so.
Varsity:
The Varsity Design team has been hard at work assembling the robot and has made exciting progress this week. Robot modeling is nearing completion, and with assembly underway, the team is focused on getting everything competition-ready. The shooter has been redesigned and is now on its second version, which is showing much more promise than the first. The team is aiming for a goal of 10+ balls per second. The climber has been fully modeled and is ready for manufacturing, while the intake design— inspired by Citrus Circuits’ 4-bar intake—has been modified to meet the team’s specific needs. The Varsity Software team has also been putting in extra effort as competition gets closer. They are actively working on scoring, shooting, and autonomous code. Vision training and target selection have been challenging, but the team continues to push forward and work extremely hard.
Junior Varsity:
The JV Design team has been just as busy as Varsity. They are finalizing their competition bot design and have begun gathering parts for construction. With their competition being 2 weeks later than the Varsity’s first competition, they have a little more time. The team is divided into four groups, each focused on a key subsystem: frame, intake, hoppers, and climbers. Their main inspiration is the Everybot, and their climber arm has already been completed. The JV Software team has shown the same determination as Varsity. They are working hard on intake and climber code, both of which have presented challenges. Driving code has been one of their biggest hurdles, as it relies on vision to determine field positioning. Although vision development has been slow, the team continues to make progress and put in strong effort across all areas.
Business Services:
The Business team has been working hard preparing for Trivia Night and the upcoming team shirts. Superbowl squares are no longer available for purchase, and we’ll soon be finding out who the winners are.
