Vandegrift ViperBots

Applications are closed for the 2025-2026 ViperBots season. We welcome students to apply for the 2026-2027 season when applications open in February 2026. Information will be posted on viperbots.org.

ViperBots Robotics is a competitive student robotics program aligned with FIRST at Vandegrift High School in Austin, TX.

We are one of the best ranked high school robotics programs not only in the state of Texas, but in the world!

FIRST is more than robots. The robots are a vehicle for students to learn important life skills. Kids often come in not knowing what to expect - of the program nor of themselves. They leave, even after the first season, with a vision, with confidence, and with a sense they can create their own future.

- Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST

2023-24 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

FRC Highlights:

FRC FIRST in Texas District Championship - Industrial Design Award
World Championships FRC Division Alliance Captain - 3rd place overall Semifinalist alliance
FRC FIRST In Texas District San Antonio - Excellence in Engineering Award

FTC Highlights:

2024 FIRST Championships FTC Edison Division Worlds Design Award Winner
Texas State Championship - 3 qualifiers
Swept Inspire Award at Texas Central Semi-Area Championship
FTC Dean's List Semi-Finalist

THE VANDEGRIFT VIPERBOTS ROBOTICS PROGRAM

Our FRC team 6800's first match at the 2022 Worlds Competition

OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAM

Our program began in 2010 with ten kids as an after school club. Now we typically have about 140 students across 11 teams.

Our teams build robots to compete in a national league, FIRST.

An example our FRC team 6800 VALOR on a FRC field

Our program currently competes in two levels of FIRST Robotics:

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC®) - 1 team of 40 students

FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC®) - 10 teams of about 10 students

for a total of 11 teams at Vandegrift High School.

THE ROBOT GAME

In both levels, the teams compete head to head by designing, building, and programming a robot to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The robots perform tasks such as scoring objects into goals, stacking objects, hanging on objects or robots bars, and balancing robots on a tilting platform.

THE ROBOT GAME STRUCTURE:

Both the FTC and the FRC robot games have three periods:

An autonomous period where the robot performs tasks on its own,
A teleop period where the robot is driven and operated by the students, and
An endgame period that involves more difficult, higher scoring period tasks.

The game, the field, and the required set of tasks changes annually.

The teams may build from a kit of standard set of parts or may buy or fabricate their own specialized parts.

WHAT VIPERBOTS STUDENTS LEARN

In our program, students learn how to use power tools, CNC routers, 3D printers, and a powder coating machine.

Our computer lab allows our students to code in C++ and Java, as well as design custom parts in OnShape.

What We Learn in Robotics

We depend on our sponsors to keep the program running - thanks for your support!

SPONSOR OUR PROGRAM

Our robotics program is very much like a student internship program in the engineering and technology field. Our students learn engineering, programming, design, and business skills through building robots as a team.

A team member operating a metal lathe.

WHAT WE NEED TO RUN OUR PROGRAM

This requires a lot of resources - parts, tools, equipment, computers, software, and the means to travel to tournaments.

INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS IS INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE

Sponsoring our robotics teams leads your organization to a direct pipeline of quality candidates with a vested interest in your success. Investing in Viperbots Robotics produces students that are already viable STEM industry candidates and entry level employees. By sponsoring our team, not only are you producing top level future engineers, programmers, CAD designers, and STEM business employees, you are allowing them to learn about and connect with your organization before they even attend college.

A team member operating a CNC machine

MARKETING EXPOSURE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION

Sponsoring our program also allows for exposure for your organization as your company logo will be displayed on our team shirts and on the robots. Each lower level competition typically involves 300 to 1000 students, 100 or more volunteers, and of course all the family and community spectators. At the state level in Texas, those numbers increased to total of 20,000 over three days. At the Worlds level competition, over 40,000 people attend the week- long competition, and it is streamed live on Twitch and individual matches are uploaded later to YouTube.

ViperBots Excel in the Classroom as Well As On the Robotics Field

Graduates have gone on to colleges across the country and world including:

- California State Polytechnic University
- Colorado School of the Mines
- Colorado State University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Baylor University
- Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
- Emory University
- Florida Institute of Technology
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Johns Hopkins University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Miami University
- Northeastern University
- Princeton University
- Purdue University
- Oregon State University
- Rutgers University
- Southern Methodist University
- Stanford
- Texas State University
- Texas A&M University
- Texas A&M University, Galveston
- The Julliard School
- University of Arkansas
- University of British Columbia
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, San Diego
- University of Colorado, Boulder
- University of Houston
- University of Idaho
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- University of Kentucky
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- University of Minnesota
- University of Texas, Austin
- University of Texas, Dallas
- University of Texas, Arlington
- University of Utah
- University of Washington
- University of Wisconsin, Madison
- West Virginia University

Our Connections in the STEM Community

Company Visits & Presentations

Acxiom, ALEN Purifiers, Amazon, Atlassian, Austin Precision Machining and Manufacturing, IBM, MakerArm, Nvidia, Dell, Delphi, Headspring, Integromat, Jacob’s Engineering Group, Petrotech Industrial Automation, Nokia, KUKA, Loblaw, Milserve International, Mythic, NASA, Realtek, Relativity, Sangam Chettinand Indian Restaurants, Spreetail, Stoplight, Tecra Systems, Texas Instruments, TSMC, Wellaware, WP Engine

Meetings with Company Directors & Executives

IBM, HP, Petrotech Industrial Automation, Nokia, TSMC

International Curriculum and Workshops

Philippines Coding Webinars, Slovenia Digital Classes

Our outreach in the community

Hosted AML Championships
Hosted FIT Austin District Event
Referee/Inspector Training for FTC Events
Hosted 4 Scrimmages for AML
Provided referees, inspectors, judges, scorekeepers, FTA’s, CSA’s, queuers, and field reset for FTC and FRC events
Rookie Camp (52 attendees)
Mentored 16 FTC teams
Mentored 3 FLL teams

STEAM Night Presentations

Canyon Ridge MS, Four Point MS, Four Points ES, Laura Busch, Naumann, River Ridge, Steiner Ranch, The Goddard School, The Keppler STEM School

STEM Presentations at Conferences

National Advocacy Conference
2021 Texas Women and Girls in STEM Summit
Austin Women in Technology
Conquering STEM
Gateway at Four Points MS & Canyon Ridge MS
We are Girls Conference
University of Texas at Austin Girl’s Day Conference
Momentum STEM Showcase
Girlstart Starry Nights Event

OUR 2024-2025 SPONSORS

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Emerald Sponsors

Public Notification of Nondiscrimination in Career & Technical Education Programs

It is the policy of Leander ISD not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or handicap in its Career and Technology Education Programs, services, or activities.

Leander ISD will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational programs.

Es norma de Leander ISD de no discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo o impedimento, en sus programas, servicios o actividades vocacionales. Leander ISD tomará las medidas necesarias para asegurar que la falta de habilidad en el uso de la lengua inglés no sea un obstáculo para la admisión o participación en todos

los programas educativos y vocacionales.

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