Ryebotics Teams Earn Top Honors at FIRST LEGO League Tournaments
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Ryebotics Teams Earn Top Honors at FIRST LEGO League Tournaments
Rye Middle School’s Ryebotics program celebrated a successful month of competition as its two FIRST LEGO League teams, the TacoBots and the D.O.N.U.T.S., earned multiple awards at regional qualifying tournaments during the 2025-2026 season.
On January 10, the TacoBots competed at the FIRST LEGO League qualifier at John Jay Middle School in Cross River, New York, alongside 17 teams from across the Hudson Valley. The team earned two awards, marking a rare achievement at the event. The TacoBots received the FLL Motivate Award, recognizing outstanding team spirit, enthusiasm, and collaboration, as well as the FLL Peer Award, a new honor in the region nominated by fellow competitors to recognize exceptional Core Values and Gracious Professionalism. This marks the third consecutive year the TacoBots have earned awards at a qualifying tournament.
The momentum continued on January 24, when the D.O.N.U.T.S. completed at the French-American School of New York in Mamaroneck. The team earned First Place for Core Values, the highest honor in that category, recognizing exemplary teamwork, respect, and enthusiasm. With their strong overall performance, the D.O.N.U.T.S. officially advanced to the Hudson Valley FIRST LEGO League Championship, which will take place on February 7, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York.
Both teams competed as part of this year’s FIRST LEGO League theme, “Unearthed,” which challenges students to explore archeology and develop innovative solutions to preserve human history and culture through research, robot design, and programming.
“We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication of both the TacoBots and the D.O.N.U.T.S.,” said Susan Granata, Rye Middle School engineering teacher and Ryebotics coach. “Their success reflects a strong commitment to teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving.”
Founded in the 2022-2023 school year, the Ryebotics program reflects the core values of the Rye Commitment by fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and hands-on STEM learning. The district congratulates both teams on their achievements and looks forward to cheering on the D.O.N.U.T.S at the championship level.
