MI Robotics Team Earns Berth at 2026 World Championship
MI Robotics Team Earns Berth at 2026 World Championship
MISD Communications
MIHS First Robotics Team 5937 will head to Houston to compete in the World Championship for the first time following strong regional victories.
Mercer Island, WA, April 13, 2026 – On Saturday, MI Robotics, Mercer Island High School’s First Robotics Champion (FRC) Team 5937 officially qualified for the 2026 FIRST® Robotics World Championship by finishing in the top 16 of teams competing at the Washington State Championship.
Following a season of rigorous engineering, programming, and strategic teamwork, the MIHS "Tough as Snails" squad will travel this month to Houston, Texas, to compete against the top-tier robotics programs from around the globe.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for the program, which has seen rapid technical evolution since launching on Mercer Island 10 years ago. The team’s success is the result of thousands of hours spent designing, prototyping, and refining a complex industrial robot capable of meeting the unique challenges of the 2026 FIRST® game.
“Seeing this team evolve from a group of individuals into a single, synchronized unit has been incredible,” said Michael Ketchum, MIHS robotics teacher and Team 5937 coach. “Their technical skill and business acumen got them here, but it's their grit, their empathy for one another, and their refusal to quit when the math didn't add up that makes me the most proud to stand beside them.”
“Qualifying for the World Championship is an incredible honor, but it's really just the victory lap for a team that has already won in every way that matters. We’re heading to the big stage not just to compete, but to show the world what Team 5937 is made of,” continued Ketchum.
The Islanders will compete at the World Championship April 28 to May 2 in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.
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