AFS Roobotics will no longer be competing at tournaments this school year–here’s some clarity on why. There are several factors that have pushed this decision, and we’ve interviewed students as well as faculty to gain insight on the reasons why, and what people think.
“We’re thinking about the financial structure of [Roobotics], we’re thinking about the staffing model for [Roobotics], but we’re also thinking about a succession plan,” said Upper School Director Brendon Jobs.
Jobs brings up one of the key sticking points of why Roobotics will not be competing: finances. Robotics is very expensive, with entry to tournaments being anywhere from $3000 to almost $7000, according to the FRC, who run the league AFS competes in. There are also additional expenses for travel to some tournaments, as well as the price to build and upkeep the robot.
“I think it’s sad to not to be able to compete,” said Timur Kryzhanovsky ‘26, one of the clerks of robotics.
Kryzhanovsky also said, “I would have loved to compete… but also I understand where [the school is] coming from.”
One of the big reasons of Roobotics not competing is that the team’s advisors, math teachers Mary Anne Wassel and Wayne Kurtz, stepped down from their positions.
“Roobotics has an extended season,” said Jobs. “Imagine doing that type of intense practice, training, and competition for an extended amount of time, and managing a teaching load.”
“I didn’t expect [the coaches] to step down, but I knew it was kind of getting a little chaotic,” said Noah Schott ‘26. This is a sentiment echoed by many; there were some issues within the club.
“It’s kind of hard, when you are a new person, to be taught what to do,” said Schott, who was a first year member last year. Schott’s experience being a new member reflects on how AFS plans to take a new approach for this year’s robotics team, centering their focus on skill building instead of competing.
Kurtz, former advisor of the club, said, “They get the build experience…All the things a mechanical engineer would do, that is the experience they get.”
But what about the future of Roobotics?
“We want a program that’s going to work, not year to year, but…a program that runs sustainably,” said Jobs.
Hopes are high for a return to the normal operation. Kryzhanovsky said, “If [new people] join, there’s a high chance that next year or the year after that, they will actually be able to compete.”
Sydney • Oct 16, 2025 at 9:08 am
When I was in lower school, I used to come to science night and immediately want to finish up what I was doing and see the cool robots in the steward lobby. While I haven’t participated in Roobotics, I have always thought that it was so cool that people could make and program machines to do things. In high school, that is especially impressive. Although I’m sad they won’t compete, I do understand that it is expensive and intense for teachers. It will still be fun to see what everyone makes and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Roobotics.
NJ • Oct 15, 2025 at 9:15 pm
I personally have not participated in the Roobotics team but as someone who’s been at afs for a long time I reecognize how important it is to this community. From lower grades I can remember all of us gathering around the TV and watching videos form different roobotics competitions and then walking up to the high school and getting to see the robots in person. It saddens me to know that the team won’t be competing this year. I think there are definitely ways the school can definitely support the team more. I wonder what ways we can raise money or find ways to make sure roobotics in the future can thrive.
Elise C • Oct 15, 2025 at 9:38 am
I have not participated in Roobotics, but I have recognized how impactful it is in our community. I agree that skill-building should be incorporated in the club for new members wanting to enhance their engineering skills, but after reading the comments for those in the club, I believe there should be some form of competition or a plan for one in the future. For the school, I think there can be fundraisers, bake sales, and/or other interactive activities for clubs with expenses so they can continue their collective goal as a community. Most importantly, I hope everyone in a club finds a great way to work collaboratively and have fun!
Ruhi • Oct 15, 2025 at 9:34 am
As a student who participated in Robotics last year and plans to do so this year as well, I’m mildly disappointed since the competition was really fun last year, but I also understand. It isn’t easy to maintain and organize a club that runs well into the hours after school and make sure everything runs really smoothly. It was really incredible to participate in Roobotics last year, and I’m glad I had at least a year of competing against other schools; it’s definitely an experience! I think it’ll definitely be a change, focusing on skill building, but it will also make our team stronger as we will get a chance to focus on increasing the team’s skills, so we can spend less time doing it next time and put that time towards improving the robot, and have experience by the time the next competition comes around. I think schools can support clubs with a high competition cost, by supporting financially, obviously, but also supporting fundraising, so that the entirety of the cost doesn’t fall on the school.
Roger Chen • Oct 15, 2025 at 9:22 am
I participated in Robotics last year, and while I was not a very active participant, I believe that the club is very valuable to this school and the many students who are involved. It is quite disappointing that Robotics won’t be competing this year. Competition was a big part of community building within the club and helped fuel a lot of the productivity within the club. I understand why Robotics won’t be competing this year, and I hope this year will be successful despite that. Skill-building can be an extremely valuable thing, providing an immersive experience for everyone. I hope that competition may come back eventually, and the club will find a better balance with the school.
J Wu • Oct 15, 2025 at 8:49 am
I participated in robotics last year, and it is pretty disappointing that robotics isn’t competing this year. A big part of the enjoyment I had last year was watching our team and other teams compete; even if I wasn’t involved due to being a freshman. I am glad that this year is still being used despite not participating in the usual FRC season, skill building was definitely needed and doing it this year is a good use of time and resources given restrictions. I can only hope that next year robotics goes back to normal operations with a better sense of community and a higher level of participation.
Makai O'Neill • Oct 14, 2025 at 9:02 pm
I think it’s pretty cool how this year is all about building skills. While it’s a bit sad that they won’t be competing, focusing on improving their skills could be a positive thing. They have a great opportunity to enhance their learning and dive deeper into their projects, which is exciting, especially with robotics on the horizon! To help raise money for parts and future competitions, they could organize some bake sales or sell other items for fundraising, which would also foster a sense of community and teamwork in the process.
miles • Oct 14, 2025 at 10:58 am
I haven’t participated in robotics but the topic has interested me before. I think the club will be more inclusive to ideas and branch out towards new ideas because they don’t have a performance to go to. I feel like this will be able to expand their club because it’s less competitive but that might lose people too. I feel like AFS should have the money for this club because we just bought this massive projector for the theater and it had to cost a ton. Plus we pay a ton just to go here and all the lunches and farmhouse purchases need to be enough for robotics.
Gabe B. • Oct 13, 2025 at 7:16 pm
I really liked this article because it provided a clear and honest explanation of why AFS Robotics isn’t competing this year. The writers did a great job balancing the financial and staffing issues with the personal experiences of the students. I appreciated hearing from team members like Timur Kryzhanovsky and Noah Schott, which made the situation more relatable. It was also eye-opening to learn how expensive robotics competitions can be.
In terms of how the school should handle the cost of competitions, I think they could explore fundraising opportunities, sponsorships from local businesses, or even grants for STEM programs. This could help reduce the financial burden on the school while still allowing the team to compete. Additionally, creating partnerships with other schools or community organizations might help share resources and costs. Overall, this article was informative, and I appreciate how it highlighted both the challenges and the hope for AFS Robotics’ future.
Amani • Oct 13, 2025 at 5:40 pm
I was hoping to join Roobotics this year since they are focusing on skills. I think this is a great opportunity for first timers like me to join the club. Although it is disheartening to hear that we may not be able to compete as a team. I didn’t realize going on competition trips would be so expensive. I am very impressed with the Blue and White team. The quality of the article is amazing and I am so proud of everyone on the team! I will definitely be keeping up with the Blue and White from now on! Great work.
Percy • Oct 11, 2025 at 5:14 pm
I have participated in Roobotics in the past, as a freshman. Unfortunately, I had to quit given I just had too much on my plate. So I definitely understand where the coaches are coming from. I feel like focusing on skill building rather than competition this year will allow for a more accessible season which will encourage more previously non-robotics people to join. However, I don’t think that AFS should bar expensive extracurriculars because a lot of those more expensive extracurriculars look better on college applications so by not having them available they are not letting students have a better resume.
Rainy Korein • Oct 11, 2025 at 12:58 pm
I think that this article’s strongest point was the depth and quality of the interviews used. The student and staff quotes provided both a clear answer to the question presented by the headline and relevant student reactions to the decision being reported on.
zhaoye wang • Oct 10, 2025 at 9:39 am
I admire this article so much for not simply proclaiming that the Robotics group won’t be competing. As someone who’s witnessed how much work students put into their after-school activities, I can only imagine how frustrating the members feel. Nevertheless, the openness here strikes me as very respectful to the community. The authors did an good job dividing up student interviews with administrators’ interviews so the reader sees that this wasn’t an easy call by any means. It’s also pleasant to hear the emphasis shifting towards skill-building rather than toward competition. that kind of foundation may make the group stronger over the long term. Hopefully by the time the group does head back to tournaments, it will have even more seasoned members familiar with the technical aspects as well as the cooperation aspects of the Robotics group. It is a matter of rebuilding for a reason, not resignation.
Mia • Oct 10, 2025 at 5:41 am
While I don’t participate in roobotics, the subject is fascinating to me. I honestly think that having the club be just for skill building will be helpful for newer members. During competitions, I assume newer members might not get to take as active a role because they don’t really know they’re doing. With the club centered around skill building, people will likely learn faster and learn more. I think in order to support clubs with high costs, maybe the clubs should do fundraisers to help raise money to pay for what they need, and the school can cover whatever they don’t make. That way the school isn’t paying as much.
billy • Oct 9, 2025 at 3:02 pm
I don’t participate in roobotics, but it seems like the club will be different this year because all of the main advertising for it was flying out to these places and competing against different schools. The social media pages of the club were also filled with posts about new competitions and how excited they were for the next chance to compete against another school. I feel like it will be different, but the club will be able to mold and adapt around it. I feel like they should do what they need to do if it’s cutting costs and making them put lots of money and costs into it.
Sam GIilman • Oct 9, 2025 at 2:49 pm
while I did not join robotics , I was visiting the school and saw the, building this huge robot. I heard a switch was going to happen and I wondered why they made this switch but what are they going to do now if they are not doing competitions. I am a freshman and I understand that it is pricey with entree in competition plus the building of the robot. I believe there could be a work around if people from the club and people who want to join to compete are clamoring for it I believe the school could do it.
Nia Hammond • Oct 7, 2025 at 7:53 am
While I have never participated in Roobotics, I was wondering what happened to the club. In my freshman year, it was a big thing and many of my friends stayed after school to help out. I remember seeing announcements about their competitions and accomplishments every month and didn’t think much of it until one day, nothing. From this article and my own experiences, I can tell many people enjoyed it and I understand that there were many reasons why they shut down. While I never joined Roobotics and I am graduating this spring, I hope for the sake of the underclassmen that they will get the opportunity to participate in the club.