FLYT 2290 is a hands-on FIRST Robotics Competition team serving high school students throughout the Greater Rockford area.

Students work alongside experienced mentors to design, manufacture, program, and compete with an industrial-size robot. Along the way, they gain experience in engineering, manufacturing, programming, project management, communications, leadership, and business.

No experience required. Open to students in grades 9-12

You do not need to find a student who already knows how to build a robot.

Some of the students who thrive most in FLYT are simply curious, creative,
hands-on learners who need somewhere to apply what they are capable of.

A student who:

They build things, take things apart, solve puzzles, troubleshoot problems, or enjoy engineering and science.

They may be interested in programming, electronics, gaming, automation, AI, or computers.

 They may come alive in the shop, lab, art room, tech class, or during hands-on projects.

They may be capable of more than their current environment asks of them, or they just haven’t found the activity that clicks yet.

Sometimes the student who benefits most from robotics is not already a “robotics students.”

Robotics is about much more than building the robot.

Students can explore engineering and CAD, machining and manufacturing, programming and electrical systems, assembly, project management, marketing and public speaking, photography and video, fundraising and budgeting.

That means there is room for the student who loves machines, the student who loves computers, and the student who would rather pick up a camera, organize a project, make a presentation, or help tell the team’s story.

Students do not need prior experience. They need a willingness to learn and contribute.

Each season, the team is given a new challenge and has to figure out how to solve it.

Students use CAD and prototyping to turn ideas into working systems.

Students manufacture and assemble parts, wire electronics, and troubleshoot problems.

Students develop and test the software that controls the robot.

Students travel to FIRST Robotics Competition events where they work together under real deadlines and pressure.

Skills that go beyond robotics.

FLYT gives students an environment where they can apply what they know, discover what they are good at, and learn from experienced mentors while working toward a shared goal.

Students can get hands-on exposure to engineering, manufacturing, software, media, business, and project management before deciding what they want to pursue after high school.

There is no answer key. Students learn to test ideas, make decisions, troubleshoot failures, and try again.

Students get the opportunity to tackle difficult problems and see that they can make a meaningful contribution to something real.

Building a competition robot requires communication, accountability, time management, and learning how to contribute to a team.

FIRST programs are designed to create impact well beyond a single robotics season.
Source: FIRST® Impact Research and FIRST Longitudinal Study

of FIRST students overcome challenges through program participation.

of FIRST alumni pursue STEM majors by year four of college.

Who: High school students, grades 9–12
Experience: No prior robotics experience required
Where: 304 N. Main St., Rockford, IL
Off-season, June–December: Mondays and Wednesdays, typically 6–8 PM
Competition season, January–May: Up to five practices per week, typically 6–8 or 9 PM
Cost: Approximately $200/year. Fees can be reduced or waived when needed.

Help us make the connection.

You do not need to know whether they will join or whether robotics is right for them.

Tell them about FLYT, share this page with them, or connect them with our team. We would be happy to introduce them to the program and help them decide whether FLYT might be a good fit.

connections@FLYT2290.com

FLYT 2290 won the Quality Award at the Midwest Regional Competition in Arlington Heights IL and qualified for the 2026 IL State Championship.