0 spots available
The Brogrammers build, code, and compete alongside the Develop(h)ers, sharing a workshop, a mentor bench, and a season.
Youth education · Recurring program
Brogrammers &
Develop(h)ers
Robotics. Coding. Leadership and fun!
Students in grades 6–12 design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge using an alliance format. Guided by adult coaches and mentors, they develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles — while learning the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team.
Two teams, one program
Thirty students meet as one program and compete as two teams — fifteen places on each, so neither is an afterthought.
6 spots still available
The Develop(h)ers hold half of every season’s places by design — girls are not a minority in this program, they are an award winning partner team.
Who it’s for
Grades 6–12
Ages 12–18
When
Saturdays, 11am–4pm
September to May
Where
Chicago
Venue shared on acceptance
Team size
30 students
15 boys, 15 girls
More than the robot
Competition teams win awards for engineering, branding, and outreach as well as performance on the field. Students who take part also gain access to the FIRST scholarship pool, worth over $80M.
Design and build
Students design and build a competition robot from a reusable kit that carries over year to year.
Program it
Java-based programming, taught at several levels so beginners and returning students both stretch.
Document the journey
An engineering notebook recording every decision, failure, and revision across the season.
Brand and outreach
Teams raise funds, market their own brand, and run community outreach to earn specific awards.
New season
FIRST Tech Challenge
Our teams compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge — students design, build, and program a robot to take on a new game each season, working in alliances against other teams.
The challenge changes every year, and nobody sees it before kickoff. That is the point: there is no last year's answer to copy, so students have to reason from the problem in front of them.
Beyond the field, teams earn awards for engineering documentation, branding, and community outreach — and taking part opens access to the FIRST scholarship pool, worth over $80M.
How a season runs
Nine months, every Saturday, from kickoff to awards.
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Kickoff
September. The season’s challenge drops, teams form, and everyone learns the kit.
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Design
Sketches, prototypes, and the first entries in the engineering notebook.
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Build and code
The robot takes shape while the programming group works up through Java levels.
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Compete
Head-to-head matches in an alliance format, where teams must cooperate to win.
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Outreach
Fundraising, brand work, and community events that earn awards of their own.
Join the team
Thirty places open each September — fifteen on the Brogrammers and fifteen on the Develop(h)ers. No prior robotics or coding experience is needed, and there is no cost to families.
Students should be able to commit to most Saturdays from September through May, since teams depend on each other.
Mentor the team
The program runs on adult coaches and mentors. We need a minimum of four volunteers to open a season and can place up to twelve.
Engineers, developers, machinists, project managers, designers, and marketers all have a place here — the students are running a small organization, not just building a machine. Saturdays, 11am–4pm, and you don’t have to make every week.
All mentors working with students complete a background check, which is paid for and arranged.
Program partners
Delivered together with:
FIRST® is a registered trademark of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST).
Curiosity today. Innovation tomorrow.
Thirty students, one workshop, and nine months to build something that competes.