Southwest Detroit robotics team advances to world championship in Houston

Team 5577, known as the Kinematic Wolves, from Detroit Cristo Rey High School, has qualified for the 2026 FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas, after winning the Impact Award — the highest recognition given at a FIRST Robotics event. The award celebrates teams that demonstrate not only technical excellence, but also a strong commitment to community engagement and outreach.

This is the first time in the team’s more than 10-year history that Detroit Cristo Rey has advanced to the world championship.

The achievement builds on a growing legacy of robotics success in Southwest Detroit. In 2025, Team 4680, the AzTech Eagles from Cesar Chavez Academy High School, also advanced to the world championship following a record-breaking season.

“Watching Team 5577 earn their place at the world championship is nothing short of inspiring,” said Marisol Bien Teachworth Walton, director of youth development at the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation (DHDC), an organization that supports the team. “These young people are showing what’s possible when talent meets opportunity.”

Team 5577 is part of the Robotics Engineering Center of Detroit (RECD), a community-based program housed within DHDC that provides hands-on STEM education, mentorship and access to advanced technology. The center has supported more than 175 students and over 20 robotics teams across elementary, middle and high schools in recent years.

The Kinematic Wolves are also among the founding members of the RECD network, which has now sent three teams to the world championship in the past five seasons.

Leaders say programs like RECD play a critical role in expanding access to science and engineering opportunities for students in underserved communities, helping open pathways to college, internships and careers in STEM fields.

As the team prepares for Houston, however, financial barriers to cover registration fees, travel, lodging, meals and transporting the robot, remain, and organizers are now calling on the community for support to help ensure the students can attend.

The FIRST Robotics World Championship brings together top teams from around the globe, offering students a chance to showcase their engineering skills, collaborate with peers and compete at the highest level of youth robotics.

For Team 5577, the opportunity represents more than a competition, it’s a chance to represent Southwest Detroit on an international stage.

Sponsor or donate to Team 5577 here, and use “Robotics” as the gift note. Donations and sponsorships will go directly toward supporting the team’s participation in the competition.