Help Team Duct Tape Get to FIRST World Champs

Team #2845 Team Duct Tape is a FIRST Tech Challenge youth robotics team in Tampa, FL, now in their 11th season. Throughout the year they brainstorm, design, and collaborate to build a  technically challenging robot to compete in the First Tech Challenge (FTC) level of FIRST Robotics.   FTC is an international competition fostering the future minds and leaders in Science and Technology. Most of the students on Team Duct Tape are new this year, and have never participated in a FIRST program.

Our Team

Team Duct Tape is a community based team, operating as an education program of the nonprofit Foundation for Community Driven Innovation  (FCDI) .  The team meets in FCDI's new public Fab Lab in a mall currently under redevelopment as a mixed use city center.  Team members range in age from 12 to 16.  As a community team, Team Duct Tape relies completely on donations and sponsorships  to fund their season, covering everything from annual registration fees, league fees,  build materials and parts,  food and more. 

Team members hail from several area schools, and contribute a lot of their time volunteering at events, helping other teams, and providing outreach at the Fab Lab.  They'll be helping build new teams for students in the under-served area of the mall, providing mentoring and education support.

Team Duct Tape Qualifies for Florida State Championship!

Through their hard work and dedication throughout the season TDT earned the Connect Award  at the R.O.B.O.T. League Championship for their outreach to others, including helping teams in the Florida Panhandle Aerocoast League after Hurricane Michael.  Earning the Connect Award qualified the team to advance to the State Finals.



TDT Qualifies for the FIRST Tech Challenge International Championship!

In late February, TDT traveled to Jacksonville, Florida for the Florida FIRST Tech Challenge Championship, where they competed with the top 48 other teams from around the state.  There, they earned the Connect Award again, becoming just one of seven teams in the state - out of nearly 200 teams - to earn a spot in the international  FIRST Tech Challenge Championship in Houston, TX. April 17-20, 2019.

Only 2.5% of FTC teams in the United States, and 5% of teams worldwide, are selected to compete in the FIRST Tech Championship so this is a tremendous accomplishment for TDT!

We need your help!

At the international FIRST Tech Challenge Championship, the team will have an opportunity to network, collaborate, and compete with teams from around the country and the globe. While the international event is a wonderful opportunity and honor, and one the team is excited about, attending the FIRST Tech Challenge Championship incurs a $2000 registration fee, plus the costs of airfare, hotel and lodging, amounting to over $1000 per family.

The team is seeking support from friends, family, and the community to support these bright young minds as they compete at the next level. this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these young adults. Any support you can offer will be put to work wisely and truly appreciated.


It's Tax Deductible!

Team Duct Tape is a community based team, operating as an education program of the nonprofit Foundation for Community Driven Innovation  (FCDI) so all donations are 100% tax deductible.

Team Duct Tape contributes a lot to their community, helping other youth, providing outreach at education, tech and industry events throughout Tampa Bay,  and volunteering at the Fab Lab.   Now we're asking the community to contribute to them, and  help them get the most they can out of the Championship, where not only do they get to pit their engineering efforts against the best teams from around the world, but they also get to learn at the FIRST Conference,  and the Innovation Faire, and make connections that can help them in their future academic and career goals.  

By helping these students attend the World Championships, you will be furthering their STEM education in the most exciting and inspiring way possible.  Competing with and against the brightest minds from all across the world is a life changing experience. 

Thank you!