New Tech Robotics Heads to State Tournament for Fourth Time

The ThunderBots Robotics Team 7657 from New Tech Institute High School has qualified for the state robotics competition for the fourth consecutive year. The team is scheduled to compete in Indianapolis on April 18, 2026.

The team’s qualification comes after a period of significant hardship and loss within their organization. In February 2026, the team lost freshman member Jeramya Craig, who died in a house fire in Evansville. Five days after that event, coach Adam Head passed away suddenly.

Technical Development and Robot Design

In January 2026, the team began developing their robot based on the year’s game theme of archaeology. The resulting machine was designed to transport and shoot fuel across a competition field.

Following the loss of their teammate and coach, the students named their robot Perseverance. This naming choice reflects the adversities the group faced during the development cycle and their determination to reach the state tournament.

The robotics program is integrated into the broader STEM and project-based learning framework utilized by New Tech Institute High School, emphasizing the application of technical skills through hands-on engineering challenges.

Community Support and Team Leadership

Eean Sarikie, a sophomore who serves as the CEO of the team, noted that the group drew strength from the tragedies they experienced. Sarikie stated that the incidents caused the team to come together and made them even stronger.

There has been tremendous support from the community, other robotics teams across the state, so it’s been amazing seeing people coming and just supporting our team in our time of need

Eean Sarikie

The team has received support from various robotics organizations and community members across the state of Indiana as they prepared for the upcoming tournament.

Competition Timeline

The road to the state tournament included a first-of-the-season tournament on March 21, 2026, where the team publicly remembered Coach Adam Head and Jeramya Craig.

The culmination of their season will take place this weekend in Indianapolis, marking the fourth time the New Tech Robotics team has reached this level of competition.