The REACH Foundation’s FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team, Ctrl+Alt+Elite, achieved an extraordinary accomplishment on the international stage by earning the First Place Robot Design Award at the 2026 FIRST LEGO League World Championship in Houston, Texas.
Representing both PYLUSD and Southern California, the team competed among the world’s most elite young innovators during the prestigious event. The FIRST LEGO League Challenge includes more than 35,000 teams worldwide, with only 160 teams advancing to the World Championship—approximately 0.4% of all participating teams. This year’s championship brought together top-performing teams from more than 60 countries, creating an exceptionally competitive environment that showcased excellence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Receiving the highest honor in Robot Design reflects the students’ remarkable dedication, technical expertise, and collaborative problem-solving skills. Over the course of nine months, team members devoted countless hours to designing, building, programming, and refining their competition robot and its attachments. Through continuous testing, iteration, and improvement, students demonstrated perseverance, creativity, and a commitment to engineering excellence. In addition to their technical work, team members developed strong communication skills by confidently presenting and defending their design process to judges.
The award serves as a testament to the team’s sustained effort, innovative thinking, and resilience throughout the competition season. Their success highlights the strength of STEM education opportunities available to PYLUSD students and the impact of hands-on learning experiences that foster critical thinking, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving skills.
PYLUSD extends its sincere appreciation to the REACH Foundation for its continued support in bringing high-quality STEM programs to district students. The district also recognizes the invaluable contributions of school administrators, PTA organizations, coaches, and families whose encouragement and support helped make this achievement possible.
Ctrl+Alt+Elite Team Members
- Austin Luu, Grade 5, Golden Elementary School
- Raaghav Deoghare, Grade 7, Kraemer Middle School
- Max Mills, Grade 7, Kraemer Middle School
- Zane Ahn, Grade 7, Kraemer Middle School
- Derek Luu, Grade 7, Kraemer Middle School
- Samihan Shaligram, Grade 8, Kraemer Middle School
- Avaneesh Nangare, Grade 8, Kraemer Middle School
- Ian Yoon, Grade 8, Kraemer Middle School
Through their achievement at the World Championship, Ctrl+Alt+Elite has demonstrated the exceptional talent, determination, and innovation of PYLUSD students while bringing international recognition to the district and the broader Southern California community.
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