Columbia's FIRST Robotics Team is a fun extracurricular activity for local students interested in robotics and engineering. In 2023, Columbia Secondary School hosted its own team called Harlem Rails for the first time. Over 30 students participated in all aspects of designing the robot, launching a website, and building a competitive robot. They met multiple times a week at CSS as well as in the MechE lab of Mudd. Undergraduates work with students to design and build a robot then to compete in local, regional, and national tournaments. Volunteer mentors from industry also lend their time and talents to guide each team along with longtime MechE Lab Manager and FIRST mentor Bob Stark. The international organization’s acronym FIRST is For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
