Centre Punch, the Centre County 4-H Robotics high school team, has earned a spot in the world championship after an outstanding performance at the FIRST Robotics Competition Gotham Regional last week in New York City.
The team claimed second place among a competitive field of 41 teams from eight countries at the regional event, held April 6-8 at the Fort Washington Avenue Armory in Manhattan.
Centre Punch also was honored with a Creativity Award, with judges commenting on the many unique design features of the team’s robot, driven by their imaginative students. The Centre Punch robot featured the only working climbing mechanism at the event, which allowed them to quickly grab a bar and lift their 135-pound robot off the ground in under a second.
With their success in New York, the team qualified for the 2026 FIRST World Championship, to be held April 29 through May 2 in Houston, Texas. The FIRST Championship is the world’s premier K-12 robotics competition, bringing together 600 teams from at least 60 countries along with hundreds of industry leaders, mentors and volunteers. The event showcases student innovation, collaboration and STEM excellence on a global stage.
Participation in the World Championship does, however, present a significant and sudden financial commitment for the team. Community support is critical to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to attend and compete.
Those interested in supporting the team’s journey to Houston can contribute through their fundraising campaign at gofundme.com/f/Send-Centre-Punch-To-Houston.
It marks the CC4H Robotics program’s first return to the World Championship since 2019, which followed a 2018 season in which the team was part of an alliance that won the international event.
“This is an incredible accomplishment for our students,” team leadership wrote in a statement. “Their dedication, creativity and perseverance have earned them the opportunity to compete on the world stage once again. We are proud to represent our community and excited for the challenge ahead.”
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