FIRST Tech Challenge · Team 20357
We're an FTC robotics team in St. Augustine, Florida. Students design, build, and compete, and learn engineering by doing the work ourselves.
We are a student-led FIRST Tech Challenge team from St. Johns County, Florida. We design, build, and program competition robots, giving our members hands-on experience in engineering, programming, leadership, marketing, design, and outreach through each season's challenge.
That work builds real skills in STEM and plenty outside it too. We're proud to represent St. Johns County at regionals, states, and hopefully worlds, and to show up in the community around us. If we can get someone else excited to go out and build something of their own, that's a win too.
Stuff breaks. Code crashes before and during a match, screws and nuts fall off, and you were sure the robot was working five minutes ago. The problems don't magically solve themselves. We figure out the issue and get it right back on the field.
Our first seasons were rough. It's taken a while to find our footing because we didn't really know how to build a competitive robot yet, and plenty of meets didn't go our way. We kept showing up, kept iterating, and eventually everything clicked.
We don't expect you to come in knowing all about robotics. What matters to us is whether you'll stick with the team when stuff gets frustrating. Late nights, failed tests, stressful moments, and matches that don't go our way, because it's all worth it in the end. Show up ready to work and you'll pick it up quick.
Every season brings a new game, a new design, and a whole new strategy. Students start from scratch and build something that actually solves the challenge, whether that's launching balls, placing cones, stacking pixels, whatever the game asks for.
Starts in CAD with sketches, subsystem plans, and the engineering calls we make before anything gets cut.
From there we fabricate: 3D prints, CNC parts, hands-on assembly. Prototype, test, fix, repeat.
In parallel we code it in Java: autonomous paths, teleop, and driver controls on the FTC SDK.
Before we step on the field, we scout teams, rank partners, and plan how every matchup should go.
Then we run it at league meets, under playoff pressure, with a push toward States and Worlds.
We show up in the community through outreach events, demos, and school visits, and try to get people excited about building something of their own.
These businesses and supporters help keep team 20357 on the field.
Without school funding behind us, every dollar comes from the team and supporters like you.
Donating $50 or more? We'll put your name on our website and portfolio and send a personal thank-you from the team.
We spent five seasons in a school program as Los Toros Locos. Last season we won the Design Award, made the finalist alliance, and advanced to States. We loved those years, but we also wanted to grow past the beginner-team level that the school program was built on and compete at a level that could inspire people and take us further than we'd ever gone.
Our ambitions grew faster than the school was willing to keep up with. When we asked for more support to match the level we'd already shown on the field, they decided they weren't interested in backing it. So we split off and rebranded as Kill-A-Watt: same team, same members, same spirit and expertise, just on our own now.
That also means more work and more costs. Registration fees, parts, trips, food, repairs: it all comes out of our pockets. We're looking for support from the community to help cover it, whether you're an individual donor, a small business, or a larger company. Your help lets us run the team the way we want to, without someone else steering the ship.
Want to contribute directly? You can donate or sponsor us. If money isn't your thing, we're also looking for mentors with real experience to lean on, and new team members who are willing to show up and put in the work like the rest of us.
2026–27 BIOBUZZ season · ~$10k goal
Grades 9–12 in St. Johns County. No experience required. Show up and learn.
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. It's the nonprofit that runs FTC and other student robotics programs. Learn more at FIRST.
FIRST Tech Challenge is the high school robotics league within FIRST. Teams design, build, and program a robot for a new game every season. Learn more about FTC.
Grades 9–12 students in St. Johns County. No robotics experience needed. What matters is showing up ready to learn. Fill out the interest form and we'll follow up.
It's a demanding program. Expect a lot of meeting up during build season, and it picks up hard around league meets. There's flexibility depending on what role you take on, but you should plan on showing up consistently.
Yes. There will be fair-share fees to help cover season costs, though amounts haven't been determined yet. Goal is to have registration, parts, and travel largely funded through donations and sponsors. Interested in joining?
Our team is based in Northeast Florida, specifically the St. Johns County / World Golf Village area. Meet schedule will vary by season and member availability.
Yes. We're looking for mentors with real engineering or leadership experience to lean on. If that's you, email us.
Business sponsorships start at $250 with logo recognition on the robot, shirts, pit, and this site. See sponsorship tiers or email KillAWatt20357@gmail.com.
You can donate through Hack Club Bank or use the form on our homepage. Donations of $50 or more get your name on our website and portfolio plus a personal thank-you from the team.
Email KillAWatt20357@gmail.com or reach out on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.
