By Aidan Whiteman, Student Mentor—
MATTHEWS, IN—“We are like one big family. When we want to have real conversations, we can. You don’t have to hold back with anyone—you can be yourself and don’t have to hide who you are or who you want to become.” – Kierstyn, a sixth year woodworking and media student.
We invite you to visit our “family” and consider becoming a member at our open house on October 29th between 7-9 pm. We are Team 1720 PhyXTGears, an award winning, high-school level, community-based FIRST Robotics Competition team. FIRST© (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an international organization that designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in STEM, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.
“Three years ago it was a God-send to find this [robotics] community. The mentors meet the students where they’re at and instruct them to the next level.” – Diana, a parent.
This year, our team consistently ranked in the top third of teams at both of our district competitions and at the Indiana State Championship too. These achievements earned us the honor to compete at the World’s Championship this year.
Talk with our students about their experience working as a team. See Nomad, this year’s robot, in action and learn about how our students designed and created Nomad. Hear about our goals and how our team improves year after year. See if our team may be a good fit for you or someone you know.
“I love the hands-on learning, that all the work is done by the students, and how supportive and encouraging everyone is. I want to pass on what I have learned to new students and help them feel at home as quickly as possible.” – Jeffery Jr, a mechanical team alumni.
Although we’re a high school team, we are also open to accepting “motivated” middle schoolers from any area school, including home schools. This event is open to the public, welcoming potential mentors, new students, and anyone else in our community that is interested in learning more about the program.
Whether you’re interested in engineering, programming, media, CAD modeling, etc, there’s a place for you!. No experience is needed for students, just a willingness to learn. We’re also seeking adults who want to share their skills by mentoring our enthusiastic students, alongside our returning mentors. Additionally, we are looking to partner with businesses that want to help us cultivate excitement, understanding, and skills in the fields of STEM.
“I love how the students are learning from mentors who have impressive knowledge and understanding of the various parts of building and programming the robot. Besides any direct instruction I receive, I also look out for teaching/instruction opportunities between other students and mentors and find a way to join in.” – Isaiah, a fourth year programming student
PhyXTGears is excited to share this opportunity with our community. Stop by and explore, ask questions, meet the team, and see where robotics can take you.
Come meet the team that went all the way to the FIRST World Championship in Houston, TX, at our shop at 625 Massachusetts Ave, Matthews, IN on Thursday, October 29th, 2026 between 7:00–9:00 PM.
For more information, scan the QR code, visit our FB page, or email us at PhyXTGears@gmail.com.
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