2025
Excaliper Competes at the FIRST World Championship
Team #16249 earned a place among top teams worldwide at the 2025 FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas.
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Who We Are
More Than a Robotics Team
Gracious Youth creates opportunities for young people to turn curiosity into real skills. Through FIRST Tech Challenge, students work as a team to design and build competitive robots, solve complex problems, document their engineering process, and share what they learn with the community.
Engineering and Design
Students design, prototype, and build competition robots using real tools, CAD, and iterative engineering.
Coding and Technology
From autonomous routines to sensor tuning, students write and test the code that brings each robot to life.
Teamwork and Leadership
Roles, deadlines, and shared goals teach collaboration, communication, and dependable leadership.
Community Outreach
Students use their skills to serve neighbors, mentor others, and bring STEM to the wider community.
We are guided by FIRST Core Values and having fun learning technology.
FIRST® Core Values
DiscoveryWe explore new skills and ideas together.
InnovationWe use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
ImpactWe apply what we learn to improve the world.
TeamworkWe're stronger when we work together.
InclusionWe respect each other and welcome new members.
FunWe enjoy and celebrate what we do.
FTC Team #16249
Team Excaliper
Excaliper is the competitive robotics team supported by Gracious Youth and guided by the FIRST Core Values. The team competes at regional, state, and world-level events—including a 2025 appearance at the FIRST World Championship in Houston—while mentoring newer students and giving back to the community.
2025 FIRST World Championship
In 2025, Excaliper earned a place among top teams from around the world at the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas.
How You Can Help
Help Us Build What Comes Next
As the team grows, so does its need for dependable space, equipment, mentors, and financial support. Gracious Youth is seeking community partners who believe local students deserve access to hands-on technology and engineering opportunities.
Become a Sponsor
Fund a season of parts, travel, and registration while supporting local STEM.
Provide or Help Secure Workspace
Offer or help find a dependable build space where the team can design and practice.
Volunteer as a Mentor
Share engineering, coding, business, or organizational skills with the team.
Donate Equipment or Funds
Tools, materials, and financial gifts keep students building all season long.
Robots Through the Years
Five Seasons of Engineering
Every season brings a new game, a new design, and a new robot. Each build reflects what the team learned the year before.
Community Impact
Robotics With a Purpose
Excaliper does more than compete. Through programs like Family Café, Makers Making Change, Go Baby Go, the Museum of Arts and Sciences, VMA Robot Brawl, and Maker Faire, students use technology, creativity, and gracious professionalism to serve and connect with others.
Family Café
Students share hands-on STEM experiences with families and individuals at one of Florida's largest disability-focused gatherings.
Go Baby Go
The team helps modify ride-on cars so young children with mobility challenges can explore and play independently.
Makers Making Change
Students build and assemble open-source assistive devices for people who need them, using engineering to increase independence.
Our Supporters
Powered by Community Support
Every season is made possible by the businesses, organizations, and individuals who invest in local students. Thank you for helping young innovators build, compete, and give back.
News & Updates
The Latest From the Workshop
2026
Building More Than Robots — Our STEAM Vision for Volusia County
We're launching a mission to build Volusia County's first youth STEAM Hub, where art and technology meet — free ArtBots labs, a permanent home, and new partnerships across the community.
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Recent Season
Team Takes On the VMA Robot Brawl
Team members competed in the VMA (Volusia Manufacturing Association) Robot Brawl at historic Jackie Robinson Stadium, a fun community robotics competition.
Read MoreHelp Create More Opportunities for Young Innovators
Whether you provide funding, equipment, expertise, workspace, or simply help spread the word, your support gives local students more opportunities to learn, build, compete, and succeed.