FTC Team 17288 · Orlando, Florida
RubberBandits
Building Robots. Building People. Building Community.
Who we areMeet the team01 · About
About us
Who we are
Building Robots. Building People. Building Community.
We are FTC Team 17288 — the Rubber Bandits, a student-led FIRST Tech Challenge team from Orlando, Florida. Since our rookie season in 2019, we’ve brought together students interested in engineering, programming, design, business, and STEM outreach.
But we’re more than just a robot
Our team is built around the idea that robotics should be an opportunity to learn, create, collaborate, and give back.
Every member contributes
From designing and programming our competition robot to managing sponsors and organizing community events, every member contributes to making the team successful.
We compete, we build, we fail, we rebuild, and we keep learning.
What we do
Engineering
We design, build, test, and improve our robots throughout the season.
Programming
Our programmers develop autonomous and driver-controlled systems that allow our robots to compete at the highest level possible.
Business & Outreach
Our business team manages partnerships, sponsorships, branding, marketing, and community outreach.
Community
We believe the impact of a robotics team shouldn’t stop at the competition field. We work to introduce STEM and robotics to students and communities throughout Central Florida.
Our mission
Our mission is simple:
innovative robots.
the next generation.
opportunities for students to grow.
More than a robot
For us, outreach isn’t something we do because it’s required. It’s one of the biggest parts of what makes the Rubber Bandits who we are.
Over the years, our team has participated in outreach events throughout Central Florida and beyond, bringing robotics directly to students, families, educators, and professionals.
Where we’ve made an impact
Our team has participated in events and partnerships including:
- I/ITSEC — introducing attendees to FIRST and hands-on robotics
- Women in Aviation International
- Space Coast Foundation
- Maker Faire Orlando
- School and community STEM events
- Robotics demonstrations and showcases
- Youth STEM activities
- Community education events
- Featured on Spectrum News 13 while co-hosting our summer camp
- And many more throughout Central Florida
At these events, people don’t just watch our robot. They get to drive it, interact with the team, ask questions, learn how it works, and see what student-led engineering looks like behind the scenes.
We’ve also used hands-on activities, including LEGO/FLL-style robotics activities, to give younger students an opportunity to build and experiment themselves.
Our goal
Every outreach event gives us another opportunity to show someone that STEM isn’t just a class at school. It’s something you can build, explore, compete in, and make a career out of.
Whether we’re talking to hundreds of people at a large conference or helping one student figure out how a motor works, we want people to leave our events thinking:
“I could do this.”
02 · Team history
From 2019 to today
The Rubber Bandits began competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge in 2019. Since then, Team 17288 has competed across multiple FTC seasons, growing from a rookie team into an established Orlando robotics program.
According to the official FIRST FTC Event Web, the Rubber Bandits have competed in 40 official events across seven seasons, beginning with the 2019 SKYSTONE season and continuing through DECODE in 2025–26.
Our story isn’t finished
Seven seasons in, the Rubber Bandits are still building. Every season brings a new game, a new robot, new challenges, and a new group of students ready to take them on.
2019 → 2026 → and we’re just getting started.
03 · Say hi
Contact
Sponsor us, invite us, or just say hi.
Instagram: @ftc17288
Email: ftc17288@gmail.com
