Our Story

 In 2000, a group of mentors from Microsoft started FIRST Robotics Competition Team #488, “Team XBOT” working with high school students from nearby Redmond, WA. 

During their first competition season, the team’s leadership observed that students in Redmond had ample access to STEM activities both in school and out, while students in many other Seattle communities didn’t have similar access.

A very deliberate decision was made to redirect subsequent recruitment efforts to students in underserved South Seattle, with specific focus on Franklin High School. Franklin has traditionally high percentages of students of color (90% in 2020-2021), students who qualify for free or reduced lunch (64% in 2020-2021), and students who are from English-language learner households (78% in 2020-2021).

In those early years, it was clear at robotic competitions, especially the FIRST World Championship, that Team XBOT was unique in its diversity.  

Twenty years later our focus on providing STEM education opportunities for students from underserved communities in South Seattle remains unchanged. What has changed is the expanded scope programs we offer.

With support from numerous individuals, corporations, and foundations, XBOT Robotics has expanded from supporting one FRC team to also fully funding two FTC teams and multiple Unified Robotics teams, which pair students with intellectual disabilities with students without. During the 2019-2020 school year XBOT Robotics provided the main logistical, expertise, and volunteer support behind creation of 27 new FLL teams in Title-1 schools funded by the Amazon Future Engineer program. We also provide expertise and financial support to Franklin High School’s MakerSpace and offer after school, Saturday, and summer workshops for students and adults in the community.  

During robotics competition seasons, students on our teams, especially those on our FRC team, work side-by-side with volunteer engineering professionals designing, building, and programming robots.  

To our students, their team becomes more than a club. It means home, their second family, and an opportunity to succeed.