Our Team

FTC Team 18227 Area 52

The Team

We have 12 people on our team this year, most of which either have previous FTC or FLL experience. For 6, it’s their first time competing in FTC!

Team Members

PriyaM

Software Lead

Sup, I’m Priyam! I’m currently a junior at Plano West Senior High. I program the bot’s software and this is my third year in FIRST. Outside of robotics, I love coding (obviously), playing the piano, and playing video games.

Yash

Outreach Lead/Hardware

Hey! I’m Yash Menon, and I’m a sophomore at Reedy High School. I am part of the outreach and hardware teams and this will be my 3rd year in FTC. Outside of robotics, I enjoy playing video games, reading, and swimming.

Brandon

Hardware

Hiiii! My name is Brandon, I am a 10th grader at Jasper High School and I look forward to my third season on this team. I love Ducks, I play Minecraft Hardcore, I play the Euphonium, and I have a cat named Jin who still has all 9 lives!

Akansh

Software

Hello! My name is Akansh Karthik, and I am a 10th grader at Jasper High School. I am part of the software team and this will be my fourth year in FTC. Outside of robotics I enjoy watching Star Wars and Painting.

Andrew

Hardware

Hi, I’m Andrew. I’m a 8th grader at Rice Middle School, and this is my 1st year in FTC. In my free time, I enjoy debating and playing video games.

Melody

Software

Hey there! I’m Melody Jing, a 9th grader and a member of the software team. I’m excited for my second season with the team! Outside of robotics, I enjoy dancing!

Steven

Hardware

Hi, I’m Steven. I’m a 8th grader at Rice Middle School. I’mpart of the hardware team, and this is my 1st year in FTC. During my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, tcg, and video games.

Sebastian

Hardware

Hi, I’m Sebastian. I am currently a 9th grader at Jasper High School. I am a part of the hardware team, and this is my third year in FTC. When, I’m not doing robotics, I play club soccer, play clarinet in the band, and play games.

Carolyn

Outreach

Hi! I’m Carolyn and I am a 10th grader at Jasper High School. I mostly focus on outreach. I have 4 years of FIRST experience, including 2 years of FTC. Outside of robotics, I enjoy playing the viola, drawing, and debate.

Merlin

Hardware

Hi! My name is Merlin Mains. I am a 8th grader at Schimelpfenig Middle School. I am on the hardware team on Area 52. I like to play chess, play piano, and hangout with friends.

Rishi

Hardware

Hello, I’m Rishi! I’m an 7th grader at Pearson Middle School, and this is my 1st year in FTC. When I’m not doing robotics, I enjoy playing soccer, chess, and watching movies.

Milton

Hardware

Hi, my name is Milton. I’m a 7th grader at Schimelpfenig Middle School, and this is my first year in FTC. When I am not working on robotics, I like to read, play the viola, and play tennis.

Senior Team Members

Arthur

Software

Hello, my name is Arthur, I’m currently a senior at Plano West High School. I currently program the robot’s computer vision, design and edit for the team. Some other things I like to do is play my trumpet.

Ethan

Hardware

Hi! My name is Ethan and I am a twelfth grader at TAMS. I am on the hardware team. In my free time, I like to talk with friends or play video games.

Our Coaches

Coach Lisa

Hi, I am Coach Lisa. My background is product management and currently a Director of Technology Product Management at Optum. I am also a Distinguished Toastmaster, helping youth improve public speaking skills. My FIRST Robotics journey started in the 2021-2022 season with my son’s FLL Challenge team. I am looking forward to working with the team members, inspiring them to reach higher!

Coach Young

Hello, I’m Coach Young. I’m a former surgeon and now a biomedical scientist in gene therapy. As a high school student, I achieved the extraordinary feat of winning Olympic-level championships in math, physics, and chemistry. Passionate about mentoring and creativity, I enjoy collaborating with young people to unlock the full potential of the world through new ideas and discoveries!

Coach Justin

My name is Justin Jing, and I am a hardware coach in Area 52. I enjoy working with my team together to resolve problems. As a professional chemical engineer in pharmaceutical industry, I encourage my team to figure out feasible strategies to target short-period, mid-range and long-term challenges. I am glad to grow with our team members, building skills in engineering and project management. Always keep learning, keep moving forward!

Coach Jie Li

Hi, I’m Coach Jie, a Principal System Architect at ADTRAN with a software background. My FIRST Robotics journey began in the 2023–2024 season with my son’s FLL Challenge team, and this is my first year mentoring FTC. I enjoy sharing real world experience and helping team members grow through discussion, challenge, and constructive feedback, and I learn a lot from the team, too.

Coach HuaiFang Li

Hi, I’m Coach Huaifang Li.