2025-2026 Impact Submission

Our Impact Essay:

Innovation starts with an idea, rooted inIn the belief2025–2026 of becoming something greater. 16 years ago,season, YETI wasRobotics formed on that belief, with an ideacontinued to developgrow theits next generation of STEM innovators. Through initiatives tailored to our community’s needs, we strive to turn our belief into reality, making STEM attainable on local, state, national, and global scales. 
What began with 16 students and 8 mentors has grown into a community of 65 students and 17 mentorsimpact across 5 counties and 2 states, united by a shared goal: advancing FIRST’s vision of celebrating STEM and empowering the next generation. As the largest team in the Charlotte area,community weand commitbeyond. The team dedicated over 2,000 hours to establishingmentoring afour sustainableveteran foundationFIRST of accessibility, strengthening community support,teams and raisinglaunched thenew ceilingFLL, ofFTC, innovation.and

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Establishteams the- Foundation
Drivensupporting byaround the150+ powerstudents ofthrough hands-onsponsorship and mentorship. YETI also expanded its STEM education, YETI establishes equitable accessoutreach to lasting100+ STEMstudents opportunities.
Asacross a team in urban Charlotte, an area with 103five Title 1 schools,schools YETIin addresses our community’s STEM gap. To reduce barriers, we launched RISE with YETI, a customized program for K-8 students that offers STEM and leadership skillsCharlotte through tailoredtheir curricula.robotics Throughcourses. an Eduporium grant, we provide each student with an Edison robot, allowing them to complete one of two custom games, “Go Away Garbage” and “Into Orbit,” which include YETI-developed mats, 3D-printed parts, and challenging missions. AfterOn the eight-weekcompetition program, students showcase their learning to YETI coaches, teachers, and families. Sinceside, the program’steam inceptionranked #6 in August 2023, YETI has impacted 400 students and held 17 sessions at 8 Title 1 schools, transforming underrepresented students into STEM aspirants.
Partnering with Queen City Robotics Alliance (QCRA) and Omni Montessori, YETI leads after-school classes and camps for students to explore robotics programs. In 3 years, we have led 77 weeks of classes and 21 weeks of camps, equipping 308+ students to pursue STEM and business careers.
Recognizing the underrepresentation of women in STEM, YETI partners with Girl Scouts of America to lead robotics merit badge classes, impacting 300 girls over the past 3 years. We provide skill-focused lessons per Girl Scout level, building confidence and encouraging them to explore new opportunities. Partnering with FIRST North Carolina (FNC),district weand initiatedwon two events as Alliance 1 Captain, while also earning the ideaDistrict forImpact DoyenneAward. InspirationTheir Westnewest ininitiative, 2023Go afterGreen noticingWith aYETI, lackpromoted ofenvironmental accessibilitysustainability for teams in western NC. We have continued to supportwithin the execution of the off-season competition, creating a competitive, empowering space for 349 femaleteam and non-binaryacross students.FIRST
Through partnerships with organizations such as Schiele Museum, Charlotte Speedway, UNCC, Honeywell,NC, and The Pearl CLT, we dedicated 260 hours to 39 events, inspiring 16,960 individuals to explore STEM through robotics.

Strengthen the Support
YETI strengthens our community through four pillars of support: equipping our team with knowledge, establishing a FIRST Pipeline, organizing tournaments, and uplifting underserved communities.
Recruiting 40+ rookies this year, YETI prioritized skills training to ensure sustainability, with veteran members leading classes throughout pre-season. This year, we launched the YETI Ascent system to expand engagement and motivate students to master skills through 3 levels: L1, L2, and L3. All students earned their L1,Open demonstratingAlliance commitment to skill growth, with many working towards their L2. Since 2016, our Java program has trained 515 students, and our CAD training has produced 57 SolidWorks-certified members. Through Robot Quick Build and CADathon, students practice prototyping and experience the fast-paced nature of an FRC season by producing functional designs, code, and documentation under time constraints. In 2024, we introduced YETI’s Wiki Page to centralize documentation and ensure seamless knowledge transfer within and beyond our team. Alongside student training, we prioritize mentor support by automating attendance, outreach tracking, and FAQ systems, reducing workload and preventing burnout.
YETI drives participation in FIRST through outreach and mentorship. In 3 years, we have hosted or volunteered at 26 FLL and FTC tournaments, totaling 2,467 hours. Through our annual recruitment nights, wepresence reached 3503,000+ studentspeople across all 3 FIRST programs. In the last 3 years, we have started, sponsored, and mentored 7 FLL and 8 FTC teams, supporting 144 students in total. YETI student coaches have dedicated 4,465 hours to instilling technical and business skills in FLL and FTC students and leading pre-season training. Beyond this, YETI students guide teams by coordinating meetings, creating game-specific content, and sharing resources, supporting their success. For the past 3 years, we have hosted an FLL tournament in partnership with Whitewater Middle School, allowing an average of 32 teams and 320 students to compete in Charlotte.
In partnership with QCRA, we established the Zone in 2016, creating a collaborative, shared hub for robotics teams across the greater Charlotte area to gain technical and business experience. To expand local STEM opportunities, we moved to a larger space in 2023, providing FLL tables, an FTC field, and one of the few full FRC practice fields in the state. In this space, we have hosted 1 FRC scrimmage and 2 FTC scrimmages, assisting 52 teams and 492 students in competition preparation.
YETI is dedicated to providing mentorship and assistance to teams globally. We directly mentor our sister team, FRC 2724, sharing a build space and veteran knowledge. From helping FRC 9496 on their team launch to assisting FRC 10077, 9607, and 9005 during their rookie season, we believe our success comes from the success of others. Additionally, we document our experiences onsocial media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, and Chief Delphi, where we showcase our learning and in-season progress and give teams worldwide access to our resources.
 Beyond STEM outreach, YETI supports underserved members of our community, bringing them equitable access to resources. Through our 11-year partnership with Roof Above, we have prepared 2,880 sandwiches in the last 3 years for the homeless. We also support Title 1 schools through annual school supply drives and have provided 160 backpacks and lunch boxes filled with essentials over 3 years.Delphi.

Raise the Ceiling
Understanding political representation’s role in shaping change, YETI empowers others’ voices, raising the ceiling of opportunity for students from marginalized backgrounds. YETI advocates on local, state, and federal levels to ensure the impact of robotics and STEM education is recognized at every level of government.
Locally, YETI established one of the first written documents in Mecklenburg County’s legislature referencing FIRST’s impact, creating the “Robotics Day” proclamation on December 20, 2024, to promote the celebration of STEM and  FIRST’s impact. This year, we renewed this proclamation for January 10th, the day of FRC kickoff. YETI furthered this initiative, writing a “FIRST Robotics Day” proclamation, signed by Governor Josh Stein and commemorated across NC on April 16th, 2025. 
This year, in partnership with FNC, we hosted workshops and presented a series of statewide lessons to support teams with FIRST knowledge, advocate to government officials, and provide STEM education outreach in their communities. Over the past 16 years, we have committed ourselves to making a positive impact in our community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to encourage others across NC to do the same in theirs. We plan to continue our workshops with FNC during FIRST NC Advocacy Day, focusing on state-level advocacy.
Since 2023, YETI has partnered with the Student Association of STEM Advocacy to advocate to members of Congress, emphasizing the importance of STEM funding and representation through legislation such as the Every Student Succeeds Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and National Defense Authorization Act. Outside of D.C., we stay engaged with policymakers, giving them tours of our workspace and emphasizing the importance of their continued support for robotics.
YETI launched #FIRSTEmpowered in 2023, an initiative showcasing FIRST’s effect on its students, mentors, and alumni. As part of #FIRSTEmpowered, YETI has interviewed 32+ FIRST alumni and students, capturing their experiences and highlighting FIRST's impact on their personal growth. To extend #FIRSTEmpowered’s impact, we introduced the #FIRSTEmpowered Ambassador program, an extension of the campaign, motivating passionate FIRST members to harness empowerment and inspire others. 
In 2024, we launched Go Green with YETI to encourage eco-friendly practices in FIRST. Partnering with FNC and FIRST South Carolina, we implemented reusable water bottle and battery recycling campaigns, raising awareness through emails and social media posts to reach as many teams as possible. 
Layer by layer, YETI strives to construct lasting change, establishing a foundation rooted in equity, strengthening the support that allows STEM opportunities to grow, and raising the ceiling of possibility. We commit to building and expanding our existing initiatives, while simultaneously developing new ideas that address our community’s developing needs. Over 3 years, we have dedicated 19,273 hours to breaking down barriers in STEM and empowering students to achieve their full potential, contributing 5,537 hours and reaching 45,731 individuals this season alone. 

Our purpose goes beyond the hours we accumulate. We aim to transform lives, whether giving students at Title 1 schools an opportunity to grow, showing every girl that she can aspire to what once seemed unimaginable, or reshaping how government officials view STEM education. We are not just teaching skills; we are constructing a future where every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to build the world they dream of.