SURPRISE, AZ — Inside a workshop in Surprise, students are building far more than robots.

Launch Team Robotics, founded by former Paradise Honors student Stephen Robertson, was created to remove barriers and give kids across the Valley free access to hands-on STEM education and competition opportunities.

What started as a local robotics club has grown into an award-winning nonprofit serving students from public, charter, and homeschool backgrounds. Along the way, the team has also helped schools launch robotics programs of their own while expanding STEM access for visually impaired students through adapted LEGO robotics lessons in partnership with the Foundation for Blind Children.

Last weekend, Launch Team Robotics earned the prestigious FIRST Impact Award at the international FIRST Robotics Championship, the organization’s highest honor recognizing teams making a lasting difference in their communities through science and technology.

Organizers say the goal has never been just building competitive robots, but helping students build confidence, problem-solving skills, and a sense of belonging in STEM fields.

In the video player above, ABC15's Cameron Polom takes you inside the Surprise workshop, where students are learning engineering, teamwork, and how access can open doors far beyond robotics competitions.

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