Atlanta, Georgia | December 19, 2025
The FIRST LEGO League Challenge State Championship will take place on February 7, 2026, in the Exhibition Hall on Georgia Tech’s Atlanta campus. The Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), the program delivery partner for Georgia, is seeking volunteers from the Georgia Tech community to assist with the tournament.
Volunteers are needed for roles such as judges, referees, field resetters, and general event support. No prior experience with FIRST LEGO League nor robotics is required, as training will be provided. Volunteers will receive T-shirts, breakfast, lunch, and snacks, along with the opportunity to interact with the teams.
"Volunteering at the state championship is a rewarding way to support students and celebrate STEM,” said CEISMC Educational Outreach Manager Bob Kraushaar, who is also the program delivery partner for FIRST LEGO League Challenge in Georgia. “From my perspective, seeing the excitement on students’ faces is what makes volunteering so special. It’s fun, it’s meaningful, and it makes a real difference for these young innovators.”
For over two decades, Georgia Tech has been an affiliate partner for FIRST LEGO League Challenge, with CEISMC facilitating the program statewide and hosting the championship. Sixty teams, advancing from the 31 regional and super-regional competitions held throughout the state, will compete.
Over 470 teams, from grades four through eight, have been engaging in research, problem-solving, coding, and engineering as they built and programmed LEGO robots to complete missions in the robot game for the archaeology-inspired season, “Unearthed.” They also participated in innovation projects, identifying and researching real-world problems and developing solutions— including robot designs—related to the season theme.
New this year is the centralization of the state championship at Georgia Tech rather than being split between two smaller events, giving more opportunities to create a more unified and immersive experience for students, families, and coaches.
“We want students to feel like they belong here,” said CEISMC Savannah Director Timothy Cone, who also serves as co-program delivery partner for FIRST LEGO League Challenge. “For many, this is their first interaction with a university, and we want it to be memorable and inspiring. By expanding the format, which will include live streaming, stage presentations, and campus tours, we’re creating an experience that celebrates STEM and reflects Georgia Tech’s strategic vision for access, innovation, and community engagement.”
To volunteer for the state championship, please register via the volunteer website—https://www.firstinspires.org/community/volunteers.
For additional information or have questions, please email fll@ceismc.gatech.edu.
—Joëlle Walls, CEISMC Communications
