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Our History
2023 Team Photo
TECHNOKATS IN THE MAKING
In 1990, the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology was founded. FIRST focuses on inspiring students in math, science, and technology fields through sponsoring a worldwide robotics competition. Many students and adults get very excited about competing in this challenging and fun atmosphere.
Kokomo High School’s robotics team has participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition since its inception in 1992. In that year, the Delco Electronics/Kokomo-Center Schools “DEKCS” partnership formed the Science Kats, one of 28 teams to compete in the inaugural FIRST competition. Since then, FIRST has grown to include well over 1600 high school teams in countries around the world. During this time, the team’s partnerships have also grown. Over the years, the team adopted its current name of the TechnoKats, Delco became a division of Delphi, other sponsoring partners have joined, and the TechnoKats have made a name for themselves in Howard County and in the FIRST community.
The team is proud of its history. It has a strong tradition of competing at a high level in FIRST while also being a model team in showing “gracious professionalism” as it competes. Its members have mentored many teams, both in Indiana and across North America. These teams and others in the FIRST community look to the TechnoKats as a model FIRST team, as they are a perennial contender for the highest honor given by FIRST, the “Chairman’s Award”. The team continually strives to uphold that model for how a FIRST team should be organized and how it should compete.
During these many years, the team has been led by the partnership between Delphi and the Kokomo-Center School Corporation, with increasing levels of student control and responsibility. The success and stability of the team is a direct result of the strong partnership between Delphi and KCS, and the dedication of mentors, sponsors, and students.
TechnoKats students have gone on to work as engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs in various fields. Alumni work in the automotive industry for such companies as Lockheed Martin, Delphi, and GM. Many work in aerospace, information technology, consumer electronics, and health care. It is certain that being TechnoKats played a big role in their success today.
1992-1996, “The Early Days"
1992 Maize Craze
1992 Maize Craze
1992 Maize Craze
Awards:
National Competition Finalist
Ultimate Keeper Award
1993 Rug Rage
1992 Maize Craze
1992 Maize Craze
Awards:
n/a
1994 Tower Power
1992 Maize Craze
1995 Ramp n’ Roll
Awards:
Chairman’s Award Finalist
1995 Ramp n’ Roll
1995 Ramp n’ Roll
Awards:
Chairman’s Award Finalist
1996 Hexagon Havoc
1996 Hexagon Havoc
Awards:
n/a
1997-2003, “Championship Run”
1997 Toroid Terror
1999 Double Trouble
1997 Toroid Terror
Robot Name:
n/a
Awards:
n/a
1998 Ladder Logic
1999 Double Trouble
1997 Toroid Terror
Robot Name:
TK7
Awards:
National Competition Champion
National “Technical Excellence” Award
Great Lakes Regional Runner-Up
Great Lakes Regional “Best Play” Award
1999 Double Trouble
1999 Double Trouble
2000 Co-Opertition FIRST
Robot Name:
TKO
Awards:
National Competition Runner-Up
Midwest Regional “Outstanding Defense”
2000 Co-Opertition FIRST
2000 Co-Opertition FIRST
2000 Co-Opertition FIRST
Robot Name:
TechnoBeast
Awards:
National “Xerox Creativity” Award
Midwest Regional Champion
Great Lakes Regional Runner-Up
Scholarship: Vinny Cothern, $20,000 Kettering University
2001 Diabolical Dynamics
2000 Co-Opertition FIRST
2001 Diabolical Dynamics
Robot Name:
TechnoKart
Awards:
National Competition #1 Seed & Division Finalist
Midwest Regional GM Industrial Design Award & Finalist
W. Michigan Regional Leadership in Controls Award & Finalist
Scholarship: Philip Lundberg, $20,000 Kettering University
2002 Zone Zeal
2000 Co-Opertition FIRST
2001 Diabolical Dynamics
Robot Name:
TechnoTank
Awards:
Championship Competition #4 Seed & Division Semi-Finalist
Championship Autodesk Animation Technical Excellence Award
Midwest Regional Chairman’s Award Winner
Midwest Regional Runner-up
Indiana Vocational Education Excellence Award
2003 Stack Attack
2003 Stack Attack
2003 Stack Attack
Robot Name:
The Mighty Auk
Awards:
Championship Competition #3 Seed
Midwest Regional Champion
Midwest Regional Judges Award for Exemplary Sportsmanship
St. Louis Regional Sportsmanship Award
Pittsburgh Regional Sportsmanship Award
Championship Woodie Flowers Award Winner, Andy Baker
2004-2016, “The Modern Era”
2004 FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar
Robot Name:
KatsKlaw
Awards:
Championship Competition, Division Finalist
Midwest Regional Champions
Midwest Regional Sportsmanship Award
2005 Triple Play
Robot Name:
Sky Hook
Awards:
Championship Competition, Division Semi-Finalist
Midwest Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
Midwest Regional Safety Award
Boilermaker Regional Judges’ Award for Outstanding Excellence
Scholarship: Austin Butler, $30,000 Delphi/Purdue University FIRST 2005 Scholarship
Scholarship: Greg McCoy, $2,000 Boilermaker Regional Scholarship, $1,000 IRI Scholarship
2006 Aim High
Robot Name:
Katapult/Katawheel
Awards:
Boilermaker Regional Chairman’s Award
Boilermaker Regional Woodie Flowers Award – Mark Koors
2007 Rack ‘n’ Roll
Robot Name:
Rack*Star
Awards:
St. Louis Regional Motorola Quality Award
St. Louis Regional Champions
Boilermaker Regional Motorola Quality Award
Championship Volunteer of the year award – Mark Koors
2008 FIRST Overdrive
Robot Name:
Hamtray
Awards:
St. Louis Regional Finalist
St. Louis Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
Boilermaker Regional Finalist
Boilermaker Regional Industrial Design Award
2009 Lunacy
Robot Name:
Jake
Awards:
DC Regional General Motors Industrial Design Award
Washington DC Regional Winner
Boilermaker Regional Chairman’s Award
Boilermaker Regional Finalist
Boilermaker Regional Xerox Creativity Award
2010 Breakaway
Robot Name:
Batrobile
Awards:
Boilermaker Regional Champions
Boilermaker Regional Motorola Quality Award
2011 Logo Motion
Robot name:
XXcelsior
Awards:
Dean’s List Finalist at Boilermaker Regional
2012 Rebound Rumble
Robot Name:
Haynes
Awards:
Boilermaker Regional Website Award
Boilermaker Regional Volunteer Award – Anderson Family
Queen City Regional Champions
2013 Ultimate Ascent
Robot Name:
Disk-o-Kat
Awards:
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Michael Carmain
2014 Aerial Assist
Robot name:
Flingamozod
Awards:
Innovation in Control Award
2015 Recycle Rush
Robot name:
???
Awards:
Kokomo District – Gracious Professionalism Award
Indiana State Deans List Finalist – Kyle Heaton
Boilermaker District – Safety Award
District Woodie Flowers Finalist Award – Alan Anderson
2016 FIRST Stronghold
Robot name:
Sir Lance-a-bot
Awards:
Tippecanoe District – Champions
Perry Meridian District – Champions