On March 15, Lazer Robotics, an eight‑member high school robotics team from Newton, captured the 2026 Massachusetts FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship. The team went undefeated throughout the playoffs, setting records at both the Massachusetts State and New England levels, in partnership with its alliance partner, Ghost Robotics from Westford, MA.
With this victory, Lazer Robotics (FTC team 23286) advances to the 2026 FIRST World Championship, which will take place April 29 – May 2 in Houston, Texas.
In addition to the team’s competitive success at the State Championship, Lazer Robotics earned the event’s Design Award, which recognizes engineering excellence, innovation, and documentation quality.
The team also came in second place for the Compass Award, which “recognizes an adult coach or mentor who has given outstanding guidance and support to a team throughout the year and demonstrates to the team what it means to be a Gracious Professional.”
Team captain Jerry Gong was honored as a Finalist for the FIRST Leadership Award, highlighting his impact as a technical leader, mentor, and ambassador for FIRST. This achievement makes him a candidate for the FIRST Leadership Award Winner at the World Championship.
