Pao Middle School’s FRC Team 10479 achieved impressive results in the 2025 FIRST Robotics Competition. After taking first place at the regional event in Tennessee, they continued to demonstrate their exceptional technical skills in fierce competition with top teams from around the world at the Houston World Championship and Global Finals.
Team 10479 truly shone during the Tennessee Regional competition, rising to the top among 47 teams in the qualifiers. As the captain of the first alliance, they advanced to the finals and claimed victory in the decisive match with a score of 192 to 175. This win earned them the regional championship trophy and secured their spot at the Houston World Championship.
At the Houston World Championship, the young engineers of Team 10479 were able to witness the incredible talent of the world’s top teams. Although they ultimately finished 58th out of 75 in their division, the experience of competing against such strong opponents was an unforgettable lesson. The difference between their championship score of 192 points at the Tennessee regional and their 220 points at the world championship, where they still faced defeat, taught them humility amid success.
At the Tennessee Regional, the FRC Team 6517 from South Doyle High School went above and beyond expectations in support of the Pao School team members who had traveled a long way to work beside them. They offered their training facilities and labs and even set up a PIT area right next to Pao School team during the competition, providing an essential depth of material support.
When the team faced transportation challenges for the championship, the MARS Team 2614 from West Virginia stepped in to help. Already qualified for the championship themselves, they offered assistance with transporting the robot and invited the Pao School team to their lab in West Virginia for pre-competition preparation. From organizing travel plans to giving lab tours, the mentors and members of Team 2614 provided invaluable support, even dispatching four vehicles to ensure the team made it to the airport. After returning home, each FRC Team 10479 member reflected on their experiences and sent heartfelt thank-you letters to Teams 6517 and 2614.
From being ‘unknown’ in the Shanghai regional competition to winning the ‘Rookie All-Star’ award to claiming victory in Tennessee, this journey across the Pacific has helped the Pao School engineers enhance their technical abilities and deepened their understanding of the human spirit behind technological competitions—collaborating in the face of competition and growing through challenges. The team experienced firsthand the true meaning of ‘gracious professionalism’ —a value consistently emphasized in FIRST competitions—through the selfless support of Teams 6517 and 2614. As the competition came to a close, the friendships and professional spirit that transcended borders will continue to inspire every member of Team 10479 to move forward.
*Contributions to this article was made by Ms. Xue Hongyi, the Middle School Head of ICT.
