When Tanya Yong joined Jackson High School’s Jack in the Bot robotics team, she had never done robotics before and didn’t know anyone on the team. A friend had sparked her interest, but it was something else that convinced her to stay.

The team was competitive, she noticed, but also welcoming. There was a strong sense that students cared about doing things well while also caring about one another.

“I liked that culture of excellence and wanted to be part of it,” said Yong, now a senior and the team’s CAD lead and technician.

That combination of high expectations and strong team spirit has become a defining part of FRC Team 2910: Jack in the Bot. With about 40 students, the Jackson team competes in FIRST Robotics, where students have eight weeks to design, build and program a 115-pound robot for a new game revealed each year.

And they know what it takes to compete at the highest level. Jack in the Bot won the FIRST Robotics World Championship in 2025.

For Yong, the victory is still one of her most vivid memories.

“I remember crying and celebrating with my friend after we won, and it was honestly a feeling like no other,” she said.

But as proud as she was of the championship, Yong says the experience also made her think about all the people who helped build the program before her. The team’s success, she realized, was the result of years of work by students and mentors who may not have been there to celebrate the victory themselves.

That perspective became even more personal at the following World Championship. Yong felt proud of what the team had accomplished, but there was also a sense of sadness as she realized she was saying goodbye to seniors she had grown close to.

“You build really incredible bonds with people on this team,” she said. “Especially after spending so much time working and competing together, it was hard knowing that chapter was ending.”

For sophomore Sreekar Marni, his Jack in the Bot story is just beginning.

Marni had been interested in robotics since he was a child, but had never had the opportunity to join a team. When he arrived at Jackson, he planned to try out, although he wasn't sure he would make it without any previous experience. He also knew very little about FIRST Robotics or Jack in the Bot’s championship history.

What he did know was that he enjoyed being in the shop.

“I just thought it would be fun,” he said.

That initial curiosity has turned into something much more meaningful. Jack in the Bot doesn’t require students to arrive with robotics experience. New members learn the basics, train on equipment and then learn largely by doing, watching, asking questions and working alongside more experienced students and mentors.

For Marni, one of the biggest moments came when he stopped simply watching and started realizing he could actually contribute.

As the team prepared for a major competition, there was plenty of work to be done. Marni found himself working on the robot with other students and making parts such as rollers. At some point, he realized he wasn't waiting for someone else to show him what to do.

“I realized that I was actually helping,” he said.

That hands-on approach is at the heart of Jack in the Bot. Students work across Design, Fabrication, Programming and Media, gaining experience with CAD, programming, fabrication, photography, video and competition strategy. At competitions, students also take on roles in the pits, drive and operate the robot, scout opposing teams and document the action.

The robot may be the most visible result, but the students say the lessons extend far beyond it.

For Yong, the experience helped lead her toward mechanical engineering and gave her confidence in her ability to solve problems.

“Robotics has taught me to pursue excellence in everything I do,” she said. “It has given me a lot more confidence, not just in myself, but in the skills I’ve developed and my ability to solve problems.”

Marni has learned something similar from a different starting point: that not knowing the answer doesn't mean you can't figure it out.

“There are a lot of problems we face that are new, so even older members are trying to figure them out as well,” he said.

That may be one of the most valuable lessons Jack in the Bot offers. Students aren't simply handed solutions. They learn to ask questions, experiment, work with others and keep going when something doesn't work.

For students considering joining the team, Yong and Marni's experiences offer two different versions of the same message. You don't have to know how to build a robot when you walk through the door. You just have to be willing to learn.

And somewhere between the first day in the shop and the bright lights of a championship competition, students may discover something they didn't expect: not just how to build a robot, but what they're capable of building themselves.

Jack in the Bot also welcomes community support through funding, materials, fabrication assistance and mentors. The team will host the PNW Block Party at Jackson High School, bringing local robotics teams together for an opportunity to see the robots and students in action. To learn more, visit their website: frcteam2910.org