High Tech High San Diego’s Holy Cows have lassoed the FIRST Robotics Competition world championship in Houston, wrapping up a nail-biter run through division play and the Einstein matches. The student-built robot capped a season that started at district events and state-level finals, then finished on the international stage as part of the winning alliance. The victory is the latest high point for a robotics program that has been running at the school for more than two decades.
According to Times of San Diego, the Holy Cows joined the Einstein-winning alliance at the FIRST Championship in Houston, which drew roughly 600 teams from more than 100 countries. Team founder and mentor David Berggren told the outlet that “it still feels surreal” after months of work. The event ran from April 29 to May 2, and the winning alliance is declared the FIRST champion on the Einstein Field.
From District Awards To Einstein Field
According to The Blue Alliance, Team 1538’s season haul started with a Team Sustainability Award at the Ventura County district and the District FIRST Impact Award at the San Gabriel Valley event. The Holy Cows then finished 10th out of 256 at the California Southern State Championship in Anaheim, where they picked up the Excellence in Engineering award and battled into the semifinals. Those results helped secure their place among the roughly 600 teams invited to Houston and set the stage for the Einstein playoff run.
Local sponsors have been a constant presence this season. The Times of San Diego reports that Qualcomm has backed the Holy Cows since 2006, and Qualcomm spokesperson Angela Baker said the company’s support is “integral to developing a skilled STEM workforce capable of addressing global challenges.” Berggren and students thanked a roster of corporate and community partners that helped cover travel, parts and mentorship throughout the long season. Team leaders said that steady sponsorship lets students focus on engineering, outreach and mentoring rookie teams instead of scrambling for last-minute fundraising.
What This Means For Students And The Region
The win caps a 22-year run that has turned the Holy Cows into a training ground for future engineers. The Blue Alliance records the team’s founding in 2004 and its 2013 Impact Award induction into FIRST’s Hall of Fame. Mentors and alumni point to the program’s project-based approach, which blends hardware, software, outreach and grant work, as a direct pipeline into San Diego’s tech and defense sectors. Organizers say the result is not just trophies but long-term workforce development and broader community STEM outreach.
Back in San Diego, the team has already been featured on local TV and in school channels, and school communications say students will soon bring the championship banner back to campus, according to High Tech High. The school added that the win will be used to expand mentorship and outreach across the region. For now, the students and mentors are enjoying a rare moment on top of the robotics world.
