At Monumental Impact we are proud to host FTC Team 19541 Bionic Sharks in our makerspace. The team is currently in their DECODE competition season.
Below is more information about the team, the DECODE season this year, and how you can join. We recommend requesting a visit to meet with team members and see our space.
🔓 Unlocked Opportunity: Monumental Impact’s FTC team is open to any high school student—whether you attend a public, charter, or private school, or are homeschooled. Now accepting rising 9th graders (entering 9th grade in Fall 2025) and high school students (grades 9–12).
🤖 Join FIRST Tech Challenge Team 19541 – Bionic Sharks
Now accepting rising 9th graders (entering 9th grade in Fall 2025) and high school students (grades 9–12).
This members-only, high school–only Competitive Robotics cohort participates in the FIRST Tech Challenge, where students operate as a student-run engineering organization. Team members design, build, program, and compete with a robot while also managing the business, outreach, and sustainability efforts required to run a successful and enduring team.
Throughout the year, the team approaches its work the way a real business or engineering organization would—balancing technical development with planning, communication, funding, outreach, and long-term growth. Students develop skills aligned with their career interests, whether in engineering, software, design, marketing, operations, or leadership.
The team operates with a two-part weekly rhythm that supports both execution and sustainability.
🗓 Team Planning & Business Operations — Wednesdays
Wednesday meetings focus on planning, coordination, and organizational health across all aspects of the team. These sessions ensure the team is aligned, intentional, and sustainable—both during competition season and beyond.
Wednesday work commonly includes:
Robot development planning (mechanical, controls, CAD, testing)
Competition strategy, match analysis, and season planning
Business operations and team sustainability
Fundraising and Fund the Fun initiatives
Outreach planning and community engagement
Documentation, portfolios, and storytelling
Sharing the team’s work and promoting FIRST programs
Connecting team roles and responsibilities to career interests
Wednesdays are about thinking like a team and operating like a business—so execution is purposeful and efficient.
Saturday meetings are hands-on SPRINTS, where plans turn into action. These sessions are focused, active, and goal-driven, emphasizing delivery and iteration.
Saturday work may include:
Robot building, repair, and iteration
Programming and controls development
CAD refinement and prototyping
Testing, drive practice, and troubleshooting
Scouting, strategy refinement, and match preparation
Outreach events, demonstrations, and campaigning
Competing at scrimmages, qualifiers, and tournaments
Saturdays are where doing happens—guided by the planning and priorities set during the week.
đź“… Season & Year-Round Rhythm
During the competition season, the team typically meets every Saturday from September through February, with planned breaks during Thanksgiving and Winter Break.
Business operations, outreach, fundraising, documentation, and skills development continue throughout the year, not just in the off-season.
Outside of peak competition periods, the team reflects, builds skills, strengthens partnerships, and prepares for future seasons.
🌱 Sustainability, Outreach & FIRST Advocacy
Sustainability is a core responsibility of the team, not a side task. Team members work together to:
Build funding and partnership pipelines
Share their story with the community
Promote FIRST programs and values
Inspire younger students and future teams
Strengthen connections between robotics, careers, and real-world impact
This approach ensures the team remains strong year after year while giving students experience that translates directly to college, careers, and leadership opportunities.
This cohort is designed for high school students who want a deep, real-world experience in competitive robotics—combining technical skills, business thinking, teamwork, and community engagement.
🧠Explore the 2025–2026 FIRST “DECODE” Game Season
