Dare Mighty Things
To inspire the next generation of bright minds and inclusive leaders to dare mighty things in Technology, Robotics and Computer Science (TRC) while making a positive impact in our community and eventually the world.
Take Giant Leaps
Over the past 12 years, TRC has become a force for change inspiring students interested in learning technology, robotics, and coding. In 2011, my oldest son Ben came up with the idea to start a robotics team. Ben's dream was ignited when we joined
FIRST Robotics and built a robotics lab in my garage for students to meet with other like-minded team members who were just as passionate about pursuing a career or education in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, & Mathematics). I am most proud that many of our students have gone on to study engineering and computer science in college.
More important than any competition success or awards TRC may earn, our team members RISE together by growing academically, intellectually, and socially building lifelong friendships. They gain a better understanding, respect, and appreciation for the rigors and benefits of participating in a quality robotics and STEAM education program. During their time in the Tennessee Robotics Club, students are inspired and motivated to pursue their dreams and achieve their long-term educational and career goals.
Coaching and mentoring TRC has become an adventure of a lifetime and one of the most meaningful investments of my life by helping build America's future technology leaders, scientists, and engineers by building robots.
Thank you for visiting and please reach out if you have any questions.
Dare Mighty Things!
Michael Puckett, M.Ed
TRC Celebrated our 10th year of FIRST Robotics in 2021
Many great companies first started in a garage. TRC shares this legacy.
In 2011, we began mentoring a FIRST Lego League team in our garage which grew quickly to become the Tennessee Robotics Center (TRC) now mentoring a continuum of robotics education for students from K-12.
Our driving vision has always been about inspiring students to transcend the game of robotics pursuing education and career paths in science, technology, engineering, art/design, and mathematics (STEAM). We are proudly using the vehicle of
FIRST robotics to build America's future science and technology leaders and educators in the 21st-Century.
We look forward to building the next generation in 2023 and beyond.
FIRST Awards and Achievement
Reach higher, embrace change, and learn from failure. Experience is always the greatest teacher.
2022 Tennessee FTC State Championship
Design Award- 3rd Place
Industrial design at its best
This judged award recognizes design elements of the robot that are both functional and aesthetic. The Design Award is presented to teams that incorporate industrial design elements into their solution. These design elements could simplify the robot’s appearance by giving it a clean look, be decorative in nature, or otherwise express the creativity of the team. The robot should be durable, efficiently designed, and effectively address the game challenge.
2020 Alabama FTC State ChampionshipDesign Award- 1st Place
Industrial design at its best
This judged award recognizes design elements of the robot that are both functional and aesthetic. The Design Award is presented to teams that incorporate industrial design elements into their solution. These design elements could simplify the robot’s appearance by giving it a clean look, be decorative in nature, or otherwise express the creativity of the team. The robot should be durable, efficiently designed, and effectively address the game challenge.
2020 Tennessee FTC State ChampionshipInspire Award- 1st Place
Best embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FIRST Tech Challenge program
The team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FIRST team. This team is a top contender for many other judged awards and is a gracious competitor. The Inspire Award winner is an inspiration to other teams, acting with Gracious Professionalism® both on and off the playing field. This team shares their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge with other team, sponsors, their community, and the Judges. Working as a unit, this team will have showed success in performing the task of designing and building a robot.
2020 Tennessee FTC State ChampionshipChampionship Winner, Captain Winning AllianceControl Award sponsored by Arm, Inc. - 2nd Place
Mastering Robot intelligence
The Control Award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to increase the robot’s functionality in the field. This award is given to the team that demonstrates innovative thinking to solve game challenges such as autonomous.
Required criteria for the Control Award:
• Team shows respect and Gracious Professionalism® to everyone they meet at a FIRST Tech Challenge event.
• Team must apply for the Control Award by filling operation, improving mechanical systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results. The control component should work consistently in the field. The team’s engineering notebook must contain details about the implementation of the software, sensors, and mechanical control, but does not need to include copies of the code itself.
2020 FIRST Dean's List AwardNate Dunlap- Dean's List Finalist
Demonstrated leadership and commitment to the ideals of FIRST
In an effort to recognize the leadership and dedication of the most outstanding FIRST Tech Challenge students, the Kamen family sponsors an Award for selected top students known as the FIRST Dean’s List. Since its introduction in 2010, the FIRST Dean’s List Award has attracted the attention of prestigious colleges and universities who desire to recruit FIRST Dean’s List students.
The students who earn FIRST Dean’s List Award status as a Semi-Finalists, Finalist or Winner, are great examples of student leaders who have led their Teams and communities to increased awareness for FIRST and its mission. These students have also achieved personal technical expertise and accomplishment. It is the intention of FIRST that these individuals will continue on, post-Award, as great leaders, student alumni, and advocates of FIRST. Learn More about this award.
2019 Rocket City InvitationalBest Autonomous Score, Alliance Captain Runner-up
Huntsville Christian Academy
This invitational is hosted each year by our good friends in Huntsville, the Browncoats #7842 and it is one of our favorite events of the season. It marks the ending of one season and the beginning of a new one. This year our team had a great time competing with and meeting new teams from Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.
2019 FIRST Dean's List AwardBen Puckett- Dean's List Finalist
Demonstrated leadership and commitment to the ideals of FIRST
In an effort to recognize the leadership and dedication of the most outstanding FIRST Tech Challenge students, the Kamen family sponsors an Award for selected top students known as the FIRST Dean’s List. Since its introduction in 2010, the FIRST Dean’s List Award has attracted the attention of prestigious colleges and universities who desire to recruit FIRST Dean’s List students.
The students who earn FIRST Dean’s List Award status as a Semi-Finalists, Finalist or Winner, are great examples of student leaders who have led their Teams and communities to increased awareness for FIRST and its mission. These students have also achieved personal technical expertise and accomplishment. It is the intention of FIRST that these individuals will continue on, post-Award, as great leaders, student alumni, and advocates of FIRST. Learn More about this award.
2019 Tennessee FTC State ChampionshipCollins Aerospace Innovate Award- 1st Place
Bringing great ideas from concept to reality
The Collins Aerospace Innovate Award celebrates a team that thinks outside the box and has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This judged award is given to the team that has the most innovative and creative robot design solution to any specific components in the FIRST Tech Challenge game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness, and ‘out of the box’ thinking related to design. Learn More about this award.
2019 Tennessee FTC State ChampionshipDesign Award- 2nd Place
Industrial design at its best
This judged award recognizes design elements of the robot that are both functional and aesthetic. The Design Award is presented to teams that incorporate industrial design elements into their solution. These design elements could simplify the robot’s appearance by giving it a clean look, be decorative in nature, or otherwise express the creativity of the team. The winning design should not compromise the practical operation of the robot but complement its purpose. Learn More about this award.
2019 Alabama FTC State ChampionshipControl Award- 3rd Place
Mastering robot intelligence
The Control Award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to increase the robot’s functionality on the field. This award is given to the team that demonstrates innovative thinking in the control system to solve game challenges such as autonomous operation, improving mechanical systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results on the field. The control component should work consistently on the field. The team’s engineering notebook must contain details about the implementation of the software, sensors, and mechanical control.
Learn More about this award.
2018 Alabama FTC State ChampionshipThink Award- 1st Place
Removing engineering obstacles through creative thinking
This judged award is given to the Team that best reflects the journey the Team took as they experienced the engineering design process during the build season. The Engineering section of the notebook is the key reference for judges to help identify the most deserving Team. The Team’s Engineering section must focus on the design and build stage of the Team’s Robot. Journal entries must include descriptions of the underlying science and mathematics of the Robot design and game strategies, the designs, redesigns, successes, and opportunities for improvement. Learn More about this award.
2017 Alabama State ChampionshipRockwell-Collins Innovate Award- 3rd Place
Bringing great ideas from concept to reality
The Rockwell Collins Aerospace Innovate Award celebrates a team that thinks outside the box and has the ingenuity and inventiveness to make their designs come to life. This judged award is given to the team that has the most innovative and creative robot design solution to any specific components in the FIRST Tech Challenge game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness, and ‘out of the box’ thinking related to design. Learn More about this award.
