TDT accepts Connect Award

Months of hard work, improving our robot after each competition, working on perfecting design ideas, meeting with mentors, developing strong programming, and great teamwork and communications paid off at the FTC Florida State Championship yesterday, when Team Duct Tape earned the Connect Award, ranked 1st in the Qualification matches in a field of 25 teams, and captained the Winning Alliance , earning a spot in the 2009-10 FIRST World Championship!

It was a day where almost everything went right. (There’s a first time for everything!) TDT won every match, including one on only the strength of our autonomous program, since our robot failed right after that.   And during the elimination rounds, we led our alliance, which included Inspire Award winners Team 2868, Smoke and Mirrors, and our Last Shot qualifier alliance partners, Alonso High School’s  Team 3837, Force Applied, to score 500 points!  It was a fun and exciting day, start to finish.

The TDT Super Cube!

Especially since we couldn’t have been as successful in our State Championship experience without all the great people and organizations with which we connected throughout the year.  TDT is a remarkable team of warm, big hearted, dedicated high school students, but they’re no more remarkable than the incredible team of parents, community groups, mentors and sponsors who encouraged, taught, and supported Team Duct Tape.  

Thank you, and we hope to do you all proud in Atlanta!  Look for more State Championship pictures soon.