HOUSTON, TX, April 29, 2025 โ In celebration of National Volunteer Month in April, ATA Engineering is proud to highlight the efforts of three dedicated employee-owners who gave their time and expertise to mentor young minds at the international FIRST World Championship earlier this month in Houston, Texas.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a nonprofit organization that inspires young people to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through hands-on robotics competitions. This year, the World Championship welcomed 600 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams and 256 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams from global pools of nearly 3,700 and 8,800 respectively, bringing together thousands of students who are eager to innovate, collaborate, and build toward their future education and career goals.
Three ATA team membersโLina Li Maricic, Lisa Saam, and Jessie Beldenโvolunteered their time and expertise to support students competing in both the FRC and FTC leagues. For our employee-owners, this was not only a chance to give back but also a deeply personal experience, as some of the students they mentored were family members who were inspired by the world of engineering.
ATAโs Key Mentorship Roles
- Lina Li Maricic served as a parent volunteer and supported FTC Team 11212, Clueless, who earned the prestigious Inspire 1 Award in the Ochoa Division, given to just four teams out of 256, for their outstanding impact on both local and global communities. The team ranked 26th out of 64 in their division and advanced to compete alongside Alliance 2 in the World Championship elimination matches.
- Lisa Saam coordinated competition logistics and mentored FRC Team 3128, The Aluminum Narwhals, who reached the finals at both of their regional events and won multiple engineering awards, including the Excellence in Engineering Award at the Canadian Pacific Regional and the Autonomous Award at the San Diego Regional, qualifying them for the championship. The team ultimately ranked 18th out of 75 in their division and advanced to the third round of World Championship elimination matches on Alliance 4.
- Jessie Belden, a FIRST alum, participating in the competition as a high school student, mentored FRC Team 1902, Exploding Bacon, a Hall of Fame team that secured a regional win and earned several awards, including the Sustainability Award at both the Tallahassee Regional and the World Championship and the Industrial Design Award at the Orlando Regional competition. At the championship, the team ranked 30th out of 75 in their division and was selected to play with Alliance 8.
Through mentorship and technical guidance, these employee-owners exemplify ATA Engineeringโs belief in empowering future engineers. Their volunteerism reflects the companyโs broader mission to support STEM education and ensure that the next generation is equipped with the skills and confidence to shape the future.
Congratulations to all the students, mentors, and volunteers who made this event unforgettable. ATA Engineering is proud to be part of a community that champions curiosity, creativity, and collaboration.
