SISD students compete in ROBOCOM 12 as students looks ahead to STEM careers
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Dozens of students across the Socorro Independent School District spent the day coding, building and testing their robots during the district’s annual robotics competition, ROBOCOM 12, held at Americas High School.
The competition follows FIRST LEGO League (FLL) guidelines — challenging teams to solve real-world science and technology problems through teamwork, design and programming.
This year’s theme is “Unearthed,” which focuses on archaeology. Students are asked to think about how technology can help explore and protect the past — while completing robotics missions and presentations.
For Landon Talamantes, competing comes with pressure — and excitement. It’s his second year at ROBOCOM 12, and he says working alongside teammates and seeing the robot succeed is one of the best parts of the day. Landon also said experiences like this are shaping what he wants to do next — and he’s thinking about becoming an engineer.
District leaders say the competition is meant to build skills that go beyond robotics. Stephanie Carrasco, SISD’s Advanced Academics Coordinator, said students learn how to collaborate, troubleshoot problems, and keep going when something doesn’t work — lessons that translate to classrooms and future careers.
A total of 45 teams from SISD elementary, PK-8, and middle schools are participating, with high school students helping support the event. Teams compete in six rounds, and winning teams will be announced during an awards ceremony on Dec. 18 at Americas High School.
About 25 teams are expected to advance to the regional competition at UTEP on Jan. 24, 2026, where they may have the opportunity to earn invitations to national events or advance to the state level.
