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TEAM GENETON
We are a team of 12 dedicated middle and high school students from Fulton Science Academy, competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics competition. Together, we bring diverse skills and a shared passion for innovation as we design, build, and program robots.
2026-2027 Season GOALs
Some of our main goals for this competition season include:
- Qualify for the World Championship and the United States Governor's Cup.
- Raise $8,000.
- Achieve a ranking of top 10 and win top 2 at state.
- Reach over 8,000 people through our outreach.
- Create an open-source AI model to contribute to the FIRST community.
Ritvik Shah: Captain
My name is Ritvik Shah, and I’m the captain and founder of our FTC team. I joined FTC because it combines my passion for engineering, programming, and problem-solving with teamwork. Beyond robotics, I enjoy fencing and playing drums. Through FTC, I hope to grow as a leader and inspire my team to innovate and make an impact.
Blake Crosby: Build Team Lead
Hello! My name is Blake, I'm a senior at FSA and this is my second year on our FTC robotics team! I am one of the Outreach team leads, and am super excited for this year! I love to talk, and love problem solving. I hope to be an electrical engineer one day, and I ready to compete with our team on an international level once again.
Philip Chan: Build Team Lead
Hello, my name is Phillip. I joined FTC because it is oriented in my passions. I love intuitive problem solving and the teamwork involved with it. I am very skilled in Fusion 360 and electrical wiring.
Sophia Wang: Code Team Lead
Hi! My name is Sophia, and I am a senior at FSA. This is my third year on the FTC team. I joined FTC to deepen my programming knowledge, especially surrounding machine learning and control systems. I really like being able to code something, then seeing it physically work on the robot in person; FTC offers the perfect combination of hardware and software.
Max Xie: Code Team Lead
My name is Max, and I’m really excited to be part of FTC. I’ve always been interested in technology, problem-solving, and working as part of a team, so joining FTC felt like the perfect opportunity. I love the idea of combining creativity with engineering—designing, building, and coding a robot to solve real challenges while competing is both fun and inspiring.
Sahil Singh: Build & Code Team
I'm Sahil Singh, a sophomore at FSA. I'm a build and programming team member for our FTC team. I'm passionate about computer science, hardware, and robotics. I have extensive experience in machine learning and programming. I joined FTC to gain new skills, be in a competitive environment, and work with a team.
Satya Blesdoe: Code Team
Hello! My name is Satya and I am a junior in the programming team. I joined FTC because I am interested in the process of coding for physical robots instead of digital applications. Through FTC, I hope to gain more experience in programming in a team and see everyone's work turn into a cohesive end product.
Sanjay Srinivasan: Build Team
Hello! My name is Sanjay, and this is my first year taking part in FTC. While gaining essential experience in computer automated design, FTC will also provide me with the opportunity to implement problem solving skills and critical thinking. I look forward to a season of progress where I can contribute to my team and develop my skills as an engineer.
Jefferey Rhodes: Build Team
I am Jeffrey Rhodes. I am a very persevering person that is good at robotics. I joined FTC because I was getting bored of doing other robotics leagues so I decided to take it a step up.
Esad Altindis: Build Team
I am a build team member in the 9th grade. I am most interested in all things robotics and mechanics. I am proficient in both CAD and 3d printing. I joined FTC to help improve my skills and spread my knowledge with others. This is my first season of FTC but I have participated in multiple other robotics competitions such as BEST and VRC.
Anika Suri: Build Team
I'm Anika and I am in 7th grade. This is my first year in FTC and i am on the building team. I joined FTC to challenge my problem-solving skills, dive deeper into hands-on engineering, and collaborate with a team to bring robots to life. Outside of robotics, I enjoy Model UN, volleyball, and singing. I am excited to gain more engineering knowledge and grow as an individual.
Andrew Lieu: Documentation
I’m the Documentation Lead on our FTC team. I program and test the robot while also helping document our design process, decisions, and progress throughout the season. I’m especially interested in autonomous systems, sensors, and using software to make the robot more consistent and reliable. Outside of FTC, I’m also interested in AI and robotics research.
Ms. Song: Coach
Hello, I'm Ms. Song, and I'm so excited to be a coach this year! This is my second year helping Team Geneton, and I've witnessed firsthand how FTC fosters each student's passion and love for not only robotics, but also presentations, leadership, proactivity and mentorship. I believe in both FIRST as a competition and a community.
Ms. Smith: Coach
Hi, I’m Coach Smith. I'm coaching not because I’m a robotics expert but because I believe in what this program does for students. I’ve watched quiet team members become confident leaders, and I’ve seen setbacks turn into breakthroughs. It’s messy, challenging, and sometimes chaotic—but it’s real growth, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
About us
At Geneton, our Core Values are deeply rooted in the philosophies of Gracious Professionalism®.
Gracious Professionalism® is part of the ethos of FIRST. It encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. Through Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain coexist. Participants compete intensely while treating each other with respect and empathy.
Through these Core Values, Geneton not only aims for success in robotics but also strives to create a positive, collaborative environment that reflects the principles of FIRST. Together, we discover, innovate, and impact our world while embracing inclusion, teamwork, and fun!
Member Development
As a rookie team, we recognized that building a strong foundation in both technical and teamwork skills was essential for our success.
Rather than focusing solely on competition, we prioritized continuous learning and development to ensure every member grew throughout the season.
Our journey can be divided into FOUR key stages, each marking a significant milestone in our growth. These stages illustrate how we evolved—gaining technical expertise, honing our problem-solving abilities, and strengthening our teamwork along the way.
Phase 1
Orientation:
• Introduced members to FTC, team roles
and expectations
• Assigned research tasks on FTC rules,
game strategy and core values like
Gracious Professionalism
Impact
All team members had a clear
understanding of FTC and team’s mission
Phase 2
Learning Technical & Soft Skills
• Conducted hands-on training for CAD (Fusion
360) & programming (Java, FTC libraries).
• Trained members on using power tools, CNC machines and 3D printing for custom parts.
• Since our team members come from different grade levels and math backgrounds, we also
dedicated time to learning mathematical
concepts and physics principles
• Practiced public speaking and writing
Impact
Enabled our team to design, build & troubleshoot our robot effectively and gained mentors & sponsors.
Long term educational impact
• Cultivating longevity in STEM subjects , as
students can see the practical application of
various courses like physics and calculus.
• Increases cross generational knowledge sharing between grades
Phase 3
Building & Testing
• Transformed our ideas into reality
by applying everything we had
learned.
• We encountered challenges, made
mistakes & learned from them.
Impact
Ensured structural integrity &
efficiency by refining mechanisms
through testing and problem-solving.
Phase 4
Competition & Adaptation
• Practiced driving and testing our robot design.
• Learned from league meets-making quick design iteration.
Impact
Strengthen our ability to perform under pressure
Our awards
At Geneton, we strive not only for excellence in robotics but also in our approach to teamwork and community engagement. Throughout the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), teams have the opportunity to compete for a variety of prestigious awards that recognize their achievements in engineering, innovation, and leadership. Below are some of the key awards our team aims for:
Dean’s List Award
The FIRST Dean's List Award recognizes outstanding secondary school
students in grades 10 and 11 who demonstrate leadership and dedication in
the robotics community. Sponsored by the Kamen family, this award
highlights the importance of inspiring others and embodying the values of
FIRST.
2020
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2021
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