Our Journey So Far

Team 62345, the TerraBytes from CFI Robotics NFP, has earned an invitation to compete at the American Robotics Open Invitational, a national-level FIRST LEGO League competition bringing together top teams from across the United States.

At the Illinois State Championship, TerraBytes tied for 1st in Table Score, earned 2nd Place Robot Performance, and 3rd Place Robot Design. Their performance secured an invitational bid to compete on the national stage.

This result reflects months of structured practice, redesigns, strategic refinement, and disciplined teamwork.

TerraBytes in Action – Illinois State Championship

At the Illinois State Championship, TerraBytes tied for the highest table score of the event.

This run reflects repeated mission sequencing, mechanical refinement, attachment precision, and confident execution under pressure. Every transition and scoring decision was practiced until it became dependable.

Watch their top-scoring State Championship run below.

This performance represents the standard of preparation the team brings into Nationals.

Calm Confidence Under Pressure

Some teams arrive hoping to survive a competition day. TerraBytes arrives with preparation.

This is their second State Championship appearance. Many team members competed last season under a different team identity. The roster evolved. New students joined. The culture remained consistent.

At Qualifiers, the team faced table disruptions and discovered an attachment had been left behind. They rebuilt what they needed during the event and still finished:

• 1st in Robot Game with a 355

• Champions Award

• Robot Performance Award • Coach Award

• Favorite Shirt Award

At Sectionals, they set a clear goal of 520. In their first round, they achieved that score. They earned:

• 1st in Robot Game with a 520

• Sectionals Champions Award • 1st Place Robot Performance

At State, they executed with maturity, discipline, and technical consistency.

·          State 2nd Robot Performance Award (tied with 530 Robot Game)

·         State 3rd Robot Design Award

·         Advanced to National Level Events

More Than a Robot

Awards measure performance. The season built something deeper.

TerraBytes strengthened:

• Strategic planning

• Mission sequencing efficiency

• Mechanical iteration

• Programming precision

• Communication under pressure

• Research depth

• Presentation clarity

• Role accountability

Robotics is the visible outcome. The growth behind it is the lasting result.

This team understands what good work feels like and chooses to repeat it until it becomes reliable.

Recognizing the Leadership Behind the Results

Coach Ren Li received the Qualifiers Coach Award this season. This recognition reflects the culture that supports consistent student growth.

Strong FIRST LEGO League coaching is built on structure, accountability, and trust. Students are expected to think, troubleshoot, and own their decisions.

Coach Tim He’s leadership across teams continues to elevate preparation standards at CFI Robotics. Alumni mentor Luke and volunteer subject matter experts also strengthened the team’s innovation research and technical development.

High-level performance is built on mentorship.

Preparing for the American Robotics Open

The American Robotics Open Invitational on June 6 and 7 brings together nationally recognized programs for advanced robot performance rounds, judged innovation presentations, and multi-round competitive formats.

Preparation now includes:

• Advanced robot refinement

• Performance consistency testing

• Innovation presentation sharpening

• Travel coordination and registration

• Official Nationals team apparel

The work continues.

Support TerraBytes on the National Stage

Nationals preparation requires community partnership.

Become a Nationals Sponsor

Click HERE to download the sponsorship PDF file.

Official Nationals team shirts will be worn:

• At the American Robotics Open

• At future competitions

• During community demonstrations

• At outreach events

Your logo will be printed on the back of the official Nationals shirts.

Sponsorship Impact

Your Support Enables:

•        Advanced robot engineering, programming, and performance refinement

•        Innovation Project development aligned with national judging standards

•        Structured technical coaching and extended training

•        Expanded access to high-quality, community-based STEM learning opportunities for students from diverse schools and backgrounds

Your Organization Gains:

•        Investment in future engineers and technology leaders

•        Support for regional, opportunity-driven STEM education

•        Brand visibility through team uniforms and digital recognition

•        Demonstrated commitment to youth development and innovation

Sponsorship Levels    (Custom corporate packages available.)

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We thank our season sponsors for supporting our teams’ success:

Littelfuse

ADG

3500 Morgan Investment Group

Their partnership fuels robotics excellence and sustained student growth.