Founders Academy robotics club advances to New England FTC Competition

MANCHESTER, NH – On Saturday, February 15, 2024, The Founders Academy Public Charter School’s Robotics Club, The Screaming Eagles, came in third out of 29 teams that competed at the New Hampshire FTC State Championships held in Concord. For the first time in school history, The Screaming Eagles will advance to the New England FTC Competition being held in April in Springfield, MA.

The Screaming Eagles are a fully student-led team, a rarity for an FTC team. The team has spent countless hours working out issues with their robot, IDA, and improving it. “We’ve developed a primarily custom codebase that allows us to run Drive to Position commands, commands to move our arm and wrist, and other quality-of-life features, said senior Ian Panait. “We made a codebase, named “Soar,” fully public with extensive documentation for future Screaming Eagles teams, and have shared it with several other FTC teams. I’m excited to see how far we’ve come as a team, from struggling to get our robot to drive just a few years ago to now being among to best teams in the state, and consistently having podium finishes at all of our events. We’re confident that this momentum will continue throughout future seasons, as younger team members gain experience and lead positions among the team.”

“The continued success of the Screaming Eagles is so exciting for our school. Their hard work and perseverance are bringing inspiration to all of our students. I can’t wait to see what is next for them!” said Dean of School, Cassie Hayes.

The Founders Academy is a public charter school for students in grades 5 through 12 that is free and open to all New Hampshire students. The Academy develops leaders who understand and apply the lessons of the past, demonstrate exceptional character and lead by example. The Academy recognizes the importance of balance in the development of the whole person, and respects each student’s journey.

Principled leadership is fostered by means of a curriculum of classical studies that includes analyzing the lives of great men and women of history, mining the rich classical ideals of the Western tradition, and tracing the evolution of the precious and costly idea of liberty.

The Founders Academy is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year. To learn more about The Founders Academy or to apply for admission, visit www.thefoundersacademy.org.