News

We are excited to provide our eight season of the Spring Series FIRST LEGO League Challenge for teams in 2026! Once again, we will be hosting a series of four FLL Robot Game events. Each of these will be hosted at the GEARS facility in Osceola. Teams are encouraged to share, observe, advise, or simply visit with other teams at each event so they can learn from each other. Since each competition is spread 4 weeks apart, teams will have ample time to modify their robots or adjust their strategy in an effort to improve their performance at the next… Read more: Spring Series 2026 Registration is Open!

We had so much fun hosting 36 teams from across Northern Indiana on Saturday, November 22, at Concord Intermediate School. Congratulations to all of the award winners, the 18 teams that advanced to the Northern Semi-State Championship and all that participated in the Unearthed season. Photos from the event can be found here.

Hey FTC fans! Join us for the FIRST Tech Challenge Kick-off at GEARS in Indiana on September 6, 2025, starting at 10:00 AM. It’s the perfect way to dive into the new youth robotics season with tons of excitement! Here’s what’s happening: 10:00 AM: Doors open for donuts and teams to get a chance to meet one another. 10:30 AM – Breakout Session 1: Ranking Points & Award Changes Get the scoop on the new FTC ranking points system and updates to awards. Learn how these changes impact your team’s strategy and how to maximize your scores in competition. 11:00 AM – Breakout Session 2: Kick-off Brainstorming Strategies Jumpstart your season with creative brainstorming… Read more: FIRST Tech Challenge Kick-off September 6!

On August 5, 2025, the Indiana Dinosaur Museum in South Bend threw an epic FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Kick-off party for youth robotics fans and GEARS team kids from all over Indiana. The theme this year was “Unearthed,” and it was a total blast! The fun started at 6:00 PM in the museum’s auditorium with the official FLL kick-off video, followed by a cool intro from the Indiana Dinosaur Museum. Best part? It was free for FLL team members and coaches. After the videos, everyone had until 8:00 PM to check out awesome dinosaur bones and other exhibits. It was… Read more: FIRST LEGO League Kick-off Event at Indiana Dinosaur Museum

On Saturday, February 8, we hosted at FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifying Tournament at Penn High School. 18 teams competed for the opportunity to advance the the Indiana State Championship that will be held in Indianapolis on March 8. Additional information about the State Championship can be found here. Of the participating teams, three of the GEARS teams competed. FTC Team 18174 – MotoRoyal earned the Connect Award and advanced to State. FTC Team 14596 – XLR8 earned the Think award and had already advanced from a previous tournament. And our rookie sensations, FTC Team 26448 – Kill Switch earned Inspire Award… Read more: FTC Qualifying Tournament

 The Indiana FIRST LEGO League State Championship was held on Saturday, January 11, at the Dallara IndyCar Factory in Indianapolis. Two GEARS teams qualified to attend the 36-team event. FLL Team 66154 – Galactic Turtles had an incredible rookie season and earned an impressive 190 points in the robot game. FLL Team 18067 – Holy LEGOs Batman capped off their 10th season with several awards. They place 4th in the robot game with 350 points, earned Core Values Award Finalist and their coach won the Mentor of the Year Award. Congratulations to both of these teams and the other top… Read more: FLL State Championship

2025 is looking to be another incredible year. Here’s a sneak peak: January – 2 GEARS teams competing at the FLL State Championship January-May – Hosting the FLL Spring Series at GEARS (More information can be found here) February – Hosting an FTC Qualifying Event at Penn High School June – Hosting the Inaugural FTC Premier Event 

On January 4, 2025, GEARS, an Indiana Youth Robotics Center, held an open house to provide details on their upcoming FLL Spring Series. This off-season FIRST LEGO League (FLL) event is designed to engage students in STEM education through robotics. The open house served as an opportunity for students to learn more about the competition and how they can participate. Registration is now open for students in grades 3-8 who are interested in joining the series. This initiative continues GEARS’ commitment to fostering a passion for science and technology among the youth.

In an exciting announcement for the robotics community, GEARS has been chosen to host the largest premier robotics event in North America. The prestigious competition will see 92 teams from across the continent converge on South Bend for a showcase of innovation, teamwork, and engineering prowess. Scheduled for June, this event marks a significant milestone for GEARS, highlighting its role as a beacon for educational and technological advancement in the region. South Bend, known for its vibrant educational institutions and supportive community, will serve as the perfect backdrop for this gathering of young engineers and tech enthusiasts. The event will… Read more: GEARS Selected to Host Premier Robotics Event in North America