GaCo FRC 1629, Garrett County’s FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, traveled to Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to compete at the 2025 Chesapeake District Championship this past weekend, April 4-6. Fifty-five teams competed at this event. After twelve qualification rounds, GaCo was ranked 16th and was selected by the 8th-ranked team to compete in the Championship’s playoffs. The team made it to the semi-finals, losing to the number one seeded alliance - almost causing an upset. According to the team, “we put up quite the fight.” So far this season, GaCo’s record is 41-12-0.
Also, during their District Championship, GaCo was one of two teams awarded the Engineering Inspiration (EI) award. This award celebrates teams that show outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within their school or organization and community. This award was obtained through an interview by judges, where the team was evaluated on the measurable and ongoing extent of efforts to recruit students to STEM, the extent and effectiveness of outreach into their community, and their commitment to STEM education - Science, Engineering, Technology, and Math. All of these, according to a GaCo student, “describe our team to the tee.”
The Engineering Inspiration award is the same award that GaCo received at a district qualifier in Pasadena, MD, earlier in the season, enabling the team to compete for it again at the District Championship level.
GaCo ended their regular season ranked 4th in the MD/DC/VA district of 112 teams, which would have earned them a spot at the FIRST Championship to compete at the world level. However, GaCo had already pre-qualified from their success in 2022 and will compete with the best teams from all around the world next week, April 16-19, 2025, in Houston, Texas.
GaCo is composed of students from both Northern and Southern Garrett High Schools. Founded in 2005, this is the team's 21st season. The team would like to thank everyone for their support, which has enabled them to represent Garrett County and make a difference throughout the central Appalachian region, especially Don and Liz Morin for their generous support and Gary and Luanne Ruddell. For more information, follow the team at @gaco1629 on social media or email gaco@gcps.net.
Photo Caption:
More than robots: Northern junior, Mikayla Frazee, and Southern senior, Amelia Bolden, take time during the 2025 Chesapeake District FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Championship to teach an impromptu, LEGO-based, math lesson to two youngsters living in the DC/MD/VA area who came with their family to visit the event. This is the same lesson that GaCo students teach to all 3rd graders in Garrett County and just one of many examples of GaCo’s commitment to its vision of “All Students - STEM Ready.”
