https://piedmontmakers.org/blog News, project recaps, and updates from Piedmont Makers — a 501(‌c)(3) supporting STEAM education and maker culture across the East Bay. en-us https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-26-ftc-coach-training https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-26-ftc-coach-training Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Coaches from eleven Piedmont Makers FTC teams spent an evening at 10th Street pushing code to a robot before the season starts. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-25-sega-robotics-donation https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-25-sega-robotics-donation Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Piedmont Makers sent a season's worth of Unearthed mission mats and models to SEGA Girls' School. The club they started has already doubled in size. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-25-sidekicks-x-piedmont-makers https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-25-sidekicks-x-piedmont-makers Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT We're planning a Winter/Spring session with the Piedmont Recreation Department's Sidekicks program, and we're looking for interested families, teen volunteers, and a paid program leader. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-24-2025-26-impact-report https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-24-2025-26-impact-report Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Our 2025-26 Impact Report is out: more than 900 students from 139 schools across 20 East Bay cities, a permanent home for youth robotics in Oakland, and over $25,000 in teacher grants. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-23-2026-27-robotics-season-kickoff https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-23-2026-27-robotics-season-kickoff Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Rosters are set and coach training is done. FIRST built this year's games around biodiversity. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-11-will-ai-save-or-end-the-world https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-08-11-will-ai-save-or-end-the-world Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Piedmont Boosters, the Piedmont Parents Network, and Piedmont Makers present an evening film screening and expert panel on AI at the Alan Harvey Theater on September 26. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-07-07-di-pilot-registration-open https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-07-07-di-pilot-registration-open Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT This fall we're launching Destination Imagination for grades 3-8: team-based creative problem-solving with a spring tournament. Sign-ups are open now. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-05-18-maker-faire-2026-recap https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-05-18-maker-faire-2026-recap Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Nearly 1,000 people came out for our 12th annual Piedmont School Maker Faire, where kids and grown-ups across the East Bay built, raced, and exhibited a full year of making. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-04-21-highlander-robotics-april-update https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-04-21-highlander-robotics-april-update Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Team 8033 attended the first-ever Nor Cal District Championship. They won the Impact Award at the San Francisco District tournament, narrowly missed Worlds, and shipped a long list of outreach wins. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-04-20-advanced-robotics-open-house https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-04-20-advanced-robotics-open-house Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Secondary students and their families are invited to an informational gathering on May 17 to explore opportunities for the upcoming robotics season. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-04-20-ftc-registration-open https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-04-20-ftc-registration-open Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Registration is open for the Piedmont Makers FIRST Tech Challenge fall season — grades 7–12, August through February. https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-03-19-first-and-lego-update https://piedmontmakers.org/blog/2026-03-19-first-and-lego-update Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT FIRST and LEGO Education are ending their nearly three-decade partnership after the 2026–2027 season. Here's what that means for our LEGO League programs.