Submitted information and photos:
A group of young East Cobb innovators has returned home after proudly representing Georgia—and the world—on one of the biggest stages in youth robotics, the 2025 FIRST championship @ Houston TX (April 16 to 19). A local FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) Challenge team, composed of six boys ages 10 to 14, recently competed at the 2025 FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas, placing an impressive 62nd out of 160 top-tier teams from 55 countries.
The team was one of only two from Georgia selected to attend the World Festival, a rare honor considering nearly 500 teams competed statewide throughout the season, which began last August.
The team members are:
- Zeeno Tang, 11, Sope Creek Elementary
- Ryan Zhang, 11, Pickett’s Mill Elementary
- Ryan Chen, 12, Westminster Schools (Mt. Bethel Elementary graduate)
- Jasper Wu, 12, Westminster Schools (Mt. Bethel Elementary graduate)
- Ming Chen, 14, Durham Middle School
- Ty Tang, 14, Dickerson Middle School
All six boys participate in the Robotics Club at Hongfan Chinese Academy, a Sunday extracurricular program in East Cobb that played a key role in developing their skills in programming, engineering, and collaboration.
Judges praised the team’s impressive technical understanding as well as their creative and research-driven approach to solving real-world problems. They also highlighted the team’s inclusive and supportive dynamic, and commended how the boys collaborated during the whole process.
The team’s journey is a testament to the strength of East Cobb’s academic and extracurricular community, parent involvement, and the boundless curiosity and creativity of youth. With their success on the global stage, these young East Cobb students have not only represented their community with pride—they’ve inspired it.
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