Mission Statement

Students come into the program with varying levels and knowledge, and by the time they leave they excel in integral skills that will support them in the industries of the future. Team 41 hopes to inspire students, through challenge, and success to pursue STEM education and support their communities.

Program Summary

Team 41 was founded in 1997 in the hopes to expand Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in the district and create the future engineers of the community. The team is located in Warren, NJ out of Watchung Hills Regional High School which encompasses students of fours towns. Using FIRST and the FIRST Robotics competition, students learn and engage with CAD, manufacturing, electrical engineering, programming, and business concepts.

What started out as a simple program has led to students graduating the program to become entrepreneurs, engineers, business leaders, and many have returned to help the next generation. Throughout the years, the team has fluctuated, but it has remained a key component of the FIRST community in and around the Mid-Atlantic Region. Today, the team has over 40 members, with 4 mentors and 3 advisors from the engineering world. These mentors are here to guide the students and let them learn from their mistakes. They foster an environment in where students are not just given answers but must learn and adapt to not just build the best robot but prepare for their futures.

In the past few years, the team has expanded in capabilities with new tools such as a CNC, and a new Plasma Cutter which was acquired by the team in 2021. These new expansions have allowed the students on the team to not just create better robots, but also learn new skills from manufacturing to on the spot problem-solving.