St. Joseph High School's (SJHS) FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, the Gyro Falcons, have returned from an international competition in Nampa, Idaho, United States with the prestigious Rookie All-Star Award. This award recognizes a rookie team that “exemplifies a young but strong partnership, as well as implementing the mission of FIRST to aspire students to learn more about science and technology.”
The Gyro Falcons, competing against high school robotics teams from around the world from March 27 - 29, 2025, made a remarkable impression on the judges. In their remarks, the judges stated, “This team took flight to their first season with a sharp focus and high energy. With eyes on the horizon, they soared into success advocating for STEM in their community.”
SJHS is a dedicated supporter of FIRST, fostering STEM education through robotics. The school's FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) program has grown significantly, from one team of four to five teams with 32 students who dedicate Saturdays to designing, building, and programming robots for annual competitions. SJHS also fields the Gyro Falcons in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), where students tackle the challenge of building large, complex robots, as showcased at a recent competition in Nampa featuring impressive climbing designs.
"We are incredibly proud of the Gyro Falcons’ outstanding achievement in their rookie season," said Gary Gylander, SJHS Principal. "Their dedication, innovation, and passion for STEM have truly shone on an international stage. This award is a testament to their hard work and the support they have received from our school and community."
Building on a strong FTC legacy, including multiple regional awards and two consecutive Inspire Awards for excellence, SJHS further demonstrated its commitment to STEM by hosting the Alberta FLL & FTC Provincial Championship (March 15-16, 2025). SJHS students also actively support Red Deer Polytechnic's Robot Warriors FTC and FLL programs, extending their impact beyond the school.
SJHS Robotics extends its sincere gratitude to its sponsors: Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, Dow Chemical, FIRST Alberta, the Argosy Foundation, Titanium Energy Services in Red Deer and our Red Deer metal sponsor McLevin Industries. The team also raised approximately $2,000 through fundraising efforts, including online sales and partnerships with local businesses. Ongoing support is crucial to ensure the program's continued success and to make these valuable experiences accessible to more students.
**with information provided by RDRDS
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@centralalbertaonline.com.
CentralAlbertaOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the CentralAlbertaOnline app.