Hello, my fellow science enthusiasts! It is I, General Mayhem, back with another epic tale of bravery, perseverance, and overcoming the odds.

Now, where do I begin… Oh yes—that’s right. It all began back in September with nothing but a small spark and a dream of going to State and bringing home an award.

Wait… perhaps that’s a bit too far back. Let’s fast-forward a little.

There we were on Thursday evening, packing up for our long—but very exciting—trip to Ole Miss for the FIRST Tech Challenge Mississippi State Championship. After a bit of scrambling and carefully tucking our robot, Cuttlefish, in for the night, we shut off the shop lights for what felt like the last time this season, not knowing what the future would hold.

The next day we were off, traveling for gears and glory to Oxford to leave our mark on this year’s championship.

The team was tense as we arrived at the Jackson Avenue Center to begin what may be the most difficult part of the championship: judging presentations. Now, I personally love to ramble on about anything that whirs, spins, or ratchets to anyone who will listen—but even I can be at a loss for words when standing in front of judges!

Despite the nerves, the team did an incredible job. They answered tough questions, thought on their feet, and impressed the judges with their confidence and teamwork. With courage and determination, they rolled with every challenge and successfully completed the first hurdle of the competition.

Next came the real test: the game itself.

Spirits were high as we entered the arena the next morning. Cuttlefish was refreshed, charged, and ready to roll as we prepared for our first match. The drive team skillfully guided the little bot through obstacles and around competing robots as the pressure mounted. Match after match, the team worked tirelessly—both on and off the field—to keep our robot performing at its best.

Their hard work paid off, securing us a place in the finals.

In true Gracious Professionalism, we invited our friends from Pure Imagination to join us on the field as our alliance partner as we competed for first place.

As we entered the field, no one knew what would happen next. After two electrifying matches, we were unfortunately eliminated. But did this dampen our spirits?

Absolutely not.

We continued cheering on our fellow FTC teams as they battled it out on the field. Then came a truly historic moment. With eyes wide and jaws dropped, we watched DeSoto Technix and East Rankin Robotics set a new state record score of 529 points. It was an incredible moment in Mississippi FTC history—and we were there to witness it.

Finally, the moment we had all been waiting for arrived: the awards ceremony.

I sat nervously chewing my mustache as teams were called down to the field one by one. Each team had worked incredibly hard—not only building impressive robots, but also sharing their passion for STEM with their communities.

As the awards continued, our hopes grew that we might earn the coveted Inspire Award.

Then suddenly we heard it…

“Cuttlefish!”

The name echoed across the arena as I rallied the team to rush the field.

We had just won the Think Award!

This was an incredible honor and a major achievement for the team. But the surprises weren’t over yet.

As we returned to our seats to celebrate, we heard our team name called again. This time, we were invited down to receive a golden artifact, recognizing us as one of the top nine teams in Mississippi.

We were beyond thrilled.

With hearts full of pride, we packed up and prepared to head home, eager to share our adventure with family and friends.

Thank you to FIRST, to the incredible volunteers, and to all the amazing FTC teams we had the privilege of competing with this season. This journey has been unforgettable.

And now, we look toward the future…

Who knows what adventures await next?

Until then—

In Gears and Glory,
General Mayhem

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