Courtesy Photo
Project NEO Robotics recently won the FIRST Impact Award at the FIRST Robotics Competition in Ft. Worth last week. The award is the most prestigious award in the For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology (FIRST) program.
Winning the FIRST Impact Award automatically qualifies Project NEO for the FIRST in Texas 2026 District competition in Houston.
Started in a mentor’s garage in 2003, Project NEO Robotics is New Mexico’s longest-sustaining FIRST Robotics Competition. Project NEO is open to all Las Cruces high schoolers and homeschoolers with no experience necessary. As part of the program, students design, machine, assemble, program and drive complex, capable robots in high-energy competitions. Project NEO is sponsored by NASA, the Boeing Corporation, and Las Cruces Public Schools.
With over two decades of experience and a successful sustaining team, Project NEO’s FIRST Impact efforts focused on the team’s vision to provide more science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities for New Mexico students, including:
- Helping to establish FIRST Robotics Competition teams at most Las Cruces high schools and assisting those in other New Mexico communities.
- Supporting additional local events and competitions that are more accessible and affordable for New Mexico schools.
- Establishing a Robotics Excellence Center in Las Cruces so teams can work, collaborate, and practice more effectively.
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