About
Piedmont Makers Youth Robotics includes FIRST LEGO League Explore, FIRST LEGO League Challenge, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition teams. Participants work with Lego League and Rev/TETRIX/GoBilda robotics, use drag n’ drop programming and Scratch, and can also work with Java and Python programming. Teams take part in robotics tournaments, team-based research projects, and presentations on robot design and the research project, with both introductory robotics concepts and intermediate concepts such as modularity, driving, autonomous tasks, and feedback mechanisms.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Seasonal programs with weekly practices; most teams meet 1–2 times per week during the fall and winter months
• Price: FIRST LEGO League Explore: $200; FIRST LEGO League Challenge: $400; FIRST Robotics Competition: $800
FIRST LEGO League Explore is non-competitive and focuses on team building and introductory robotics. FIRST LEGO League Challenge includes a team project based on the season’s theme, and Piedmont Makers hosts an FLL Challenge Community Tournament. Piedmont Makers organizes FIRST Robotics teams across all four levels of FIRST Robotics and coordinates the “East Bay Hills” FTC League with monthly league meets and an end-of-season tournament, where the top 2 FTC teams advance to the NorCal Regional Championship. Highlander Robotics (Team #8033) represents Piedmont in regional and national FIRST Robotics Competition events.
FIRST LEGO League Explore and FIRST LEGO League Challenge both have a registration window from March to May and run a fall season from August to December, with Challenge teams having the option to continue after winter break. FIRST LEGO League Explore teams typically practice once per week for 1 hour, while FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams typically practice 1–2 times per week, with beginner and recreational teams meeting an estimated 1–2 hours per week and advanced or competitive teams meeting 2–3 hours per week. FIRST Tech Challenge has a registration window from March to May, runs from September to February, and typically practices 2 times per week.
Coaches are volunteer parents, and parents with STEM experience can coach FIRST Tech Challenge independently. STEM experience is not required to coach FIRST LEGO League Challenge, and parents without STEM experience in FIRST Tech Challenge often hire technical high school student mentors to instruct the team. Financial aid is available upon request. The best way to stay up to date is to subscribe to the Piedmont Makers Monthly Newsletter.
Piedmont Makers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to support and inspire K–12 STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Design, and Math) in Piedmont, CA and beyond. Piedmont Makers states that it provides engaging and inclusive STEAM experiences for young people and develops, supports, and grows educational programs by partnering with and empowering families, educators, and the community. With 900+ students across 125+ robotics teams, they state they are the largest community robotics league in the United States.
Piedmont Makers organizes FIRST Robotics teams and hosts local robotics tournaments for Piedmont and the broader East Bay community, and their robotics programs are open to all communities in the East Bay, including Oakland, Berkeley, Lamorinda, and beyond. Piedmont Makers partners with Piedmont USD and beyond and coordinates the “East Bay Hills” FTC League with competition held with 16+ teams in the greater East Bay. Piedmont Makers provides an annual coaches training, a coaches Slack channel, TeamSnap for team management, practice table drop off and pickup, and team “uniforms” for participants and coaches.
The leadership team includes Kevin Clark (Co-President), Ben Stein (Co-President), David Ragones (Treasurer), Paul Morrison (Secretary and VP, FIRST Tech Challenge), Marta Lutsky (VP, FIRST LEGO League Explore), Shelley Rea (VP, FIRST LEGO League Challenge), Lara Oliver (VP, FIRST Tech Challenge), Chris Groboske (VP, FIRST LEGO League Explore), Pat Holder (VP, FIRST LEGO League Challenge), Ella Grossberg (VP, School Maker Faire), Margaret Bridges and Rebecca Heywood (VPs, Grants), John Welch (PUSD liaison), Brian Van Osdol (VP, Elementary Education), Julie Veit (VP, Communication), and several at-large members including Larraine Seiden, Alex Seiden, Ken Khouri, Joel Tornatore, Dave McMurtry, and Greg Wolff (Master Maker).
Last updated March 19, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Seasonal programs with weekly practices; most teams meet 1–2 times per week during the fall and winter months
• Price: FIRST LEGO League Explore: $200; FIRST LEGO League Challenge: $400; FIRST Robotics Competition: $800
FIRST LEGO League Explore is non-competitive and focuses on team building and introductory robotics. FIRST LEGO League Challenge includes a team project based on the season’s theme, and Piedmont Makers hosts an FLL Challenge Community Tournament. Piedmont Makers organizes FIRST Robotics teams across all four levels of FIRST Robotics and coordinates the “East Bay Hills” FTC League with monthly league meets and an end-of-season tournament, where the top 2 FTC teams advance to the NorCal Regional Championship. Highlander Robotics (Team #8033) represents Piedmont in regional and national FIRST Robotics Competition events.
FIRST LEGO League Explore and FIRST LEGO League Challenge both have a registration window from March to May and run a fall season from August to December, with Challenge teams having the option to continue after winter break. FIRST LEGO League Explore teams typically practice once per week for 1 hour, while FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams typically practice 1–2 times per week, with beginner and recreational teams meeting an estimated 1–2 hours per week and advanced or competitive teams meeting 2–3 hours per week. FIRST Tech Challenge has a registration window from March to May, runs from September to February, and typically practices 2 times per week.
Coaches are volunteer parents, and parents with STEM experience can coach FIRST Tech Challenge independently. STEM experience is not required to coach FIRST LEGO League Challenge, and parents without STEM experience in FIRST Tech Challenge often hire technical high school student mentors to instruct the team. Financial aid is available upon request. The best way to stay up to date is to subscribe to the Piedmont Makers Monthly Newsletter.
Piedmont Makers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to support and inspire K–12 STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Design, and Math) in Piedmont, CA and beyond. Piedmont Makers states that it provides engaging and inclusive STEAM experiences for young people and develops, supports, and grows educational programs by partnering with and empowering families, educators, and the community. With 900+ students across 125+ robotics teams, they state they are the largest community robotics league in the United States.
Piedmont Makers organizes FIRST Robotics teams and hosts local robotics tournaments for Piedmont and the broader East Bay community, and their robotics programs are open to all communities in the East Bay, including Oakland, Berkeley, Lamorinda, and beyond. Piedmont Makers partners with Piedmont USD and beyond and coordinates the “East Bay Hills” FTC League with competition held with 16+ teams in the greater East Bay. Piedmont Makers provides an annual coaches training, a coaches Slack channel, TeamSnap for team management, practice table drop off and pickup, and team “uniforms” for participants and coaches.
The leadership team includes Kevin Clark (Co-President), Ben Stein (Co-President), David Ragones (Treasurer), Paul Morrison (Secretary and VP, FIRST Tech Challenge), Marta Lutsky (VP, FIRST LEGO League Explore), Shelley Rea (VP, FIRST LEGO League Challenge), Lara Oliver (VP, FIRST Tech Challenge), Chris Groboske (VP, FIRST LEGO League Explore), Pat Holder (VP, FIRST LEGO League Challenge), Ella Grossberg (VP, School Maker Faire), Margaret Bridges and Rebecca Heywood (VPs, Grants), John Welch (PUSD liaison), Brian Van Osdol (VP, Elementary Education), Julie Veit (VP, Communication), and several at-large members including Larraine Seiden, Alex Seiden, Ken Khouri, Joel Tornatore, Dave McMurtry, and Greg Wolff (Master Maker).
Last updated March 19, 2026.
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