REACH Foundation Teams Triumph at FIRST Lego League Spring Showdown

Three REACH Foundation robotics teams from the Travis Ranch and Kraemer Middle School Hubs showcased their technological prowess and teamwork at the FIRST Lego League Spring Showdown Competition held this weekend at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Rosemead, delivering remarkable performances that culminated in championship honors.

The F.I.R.E Sharks, coached by Heather Mulkey and David Hibbard were named Spring Showdown Champions, a coveted title among 40 teams! After securing 3nd place in the “On the Spot” Challenge and placing 5th in the Robot Game competition, the team, which had advanced to regionals as “Rising Stars” during the fall season, demonstrated exceptional robot design strategy and core values during interviews to earn the first place Champion title.

“They faced many challenges throughout the season, including a code wipeout a few days before the tournament, but they remained positive and encouraging of one another and persevered,” Coach Mulkey said. “I’ve never met a group of kids as hardworking, inclusive, and fun-loving!”

In a compelling comeback story, the Hero Hunting Techno Kids, coached by Ken Tam and Alfred Chang, claimed 1st place in the Robot Game with the highest score among 40 competing teams. The achievement was particularly meaningful as they were the only REACH Foundation team out of six that didn’t advance during the fall competition.

“Instead of hanging their heads, the team came back stronger, learned from their mistakes, and grew together,” noted Coach Tam. The team, comprising students from Woodsboro, Fairmont, Travis Ranch and the Orange County School of Computer Science, participated in timed missions, interviews, and collaborative coding challenges.

The competition, administered by the REACH Foundation under Gisele Nguyen’s leadership with support from Kraemer, VHS, EHS and YLHS interns, provided students with invaluable experience in robotics, coding, teamwork, and problem-solving.

The coaches expressed profound pride in their teams’ accomplishments and gratitude to the REACH Foundation for bringing the FIRST Lego League program to the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, creating enrichment opportunities that foster technological innovation and character development among young students.

As the Spring Showdown concludes, attention now turns to preparation for the Fall 2025 season, where these young innovators will once again have the opportunity to demonstrate their growing expertise in robotics. Our special thanks to Mr. Eddie Tabata, and Mr. Matt Callaway for their ongoing support, hosting the REACH FIRST Lego League teams at Travis Ranch and Kraemer in the fall. For more info visit reach4pylusd.org.