PASCAL Private Secondary School Eagles Shine at First Tech Challenge (Cyprus) and Robotics Day competitions in Nicosia

Over the weekend of the 7^th – 8^th of March 2026,  the PASCAL Private Secondary School Lefkosia Robotics team, Eagles, participated in the First Tech Challenge (Cyprus) and Robotics Day competitions in Nicosia; an exciting and rewarding experience for everyone involved.

For the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), the team spent seven months designing, building, and programming their robot, which was engineered to launch artifacts (balls) into baskets using a mechanism powered by rubber bands and to launch wheels. Developing this system required extensive testing, adjustments, and close teamwork to ensure consistent and reliable performance. During the development process, they also used AI tools to help generate parts of their Java code, which allowed them to programme more efficiently and tackle technical challenges more quickly. Beyond the technical work, one of the highlights of the competition was meeting other teams, socializing with students from different schools, and forming alliances during matches. The collaborative atmosphere made the event both competitive and enjoyable. We were especially proud to receive the 2nd Place Innovate Award, recognizing the creativity and engineering behind our robot design.

At the Robotics Day competition, the team achieved excellent results across multiple challenges. In the Line Follower Challenge, our team earned 1st and 2nd place, demonstrating precise programming, careful sensor calibration, and effective robot design. In the Bear Rescue Challenge, the team secured 1st place, showcasing strong problem-solving skills, strategic planning, and reliable robot performance. These results highlighted the team’s ability to design, programme, and adapt their robots to different types of challenges.

Thanks to these achievements, our team has qualified for the European competition in Prague, Czech Republic, this June. We are incredibly excited for the opportunity to compete internationally, continue improving our robot, and experience the city of Prague with teams from across Europe.