FTC Johnson League
FIRST Tech Challenge season meets and January championship in Houston
Hosted by St. Thomas Episcopal School and Kids Robotic Foundation
The Johnson League Championship is the final event of a season-long FIRST Tech Challenge competition with three qualifying meets and 20 matches. Houston-area middle and high school teams design, build, and program robots to solve real-world challenges.
Named after NASA's Johnson Space Center, the league is guided by judges from NASA, Nobel-affiliated scientists, 3M, and Raytheon. It is hosted by St. Thomas Episcopal School and Kids Robotic Foundation in Houston, Texas.
The Foundation keeps the pathway open: no-cost participation for all teams and volunteers, including Title I-IV schools. High school volunteers can earn 40 service hours toward national awards. Sponsorships fund kits, fields, scholarships, judging systems, and the championship itself.
Season highlights
- Three qualifying meets plus championship finale
- 20 matches across the season
- No-cost participation for teams and volunteers
- Title I-IV school access built in
- 40 service hours for high school volunteers
- DECODE season presented with FIRST Tech Challenge
Event goals
- Promote STEM excellence and innovation through hands-on robotics
- Expand access for underrepresented schools and students
- Strengthen career-readiness and leadership skills
- Connect students with STEM professionals
- Sustain and grow the league from 11 to 24 teams next season
League leadership
Tournament staff, refs, and judges
Tournament Director / FTC JL Host
Darakhshan Dee Memon
Head Referee
Denny Shaikh
Judge Advisor
Tommy Sparks
TX State JA
Referee
Leo
Referee
Arleth
Referee
Aman
Referee
Zahra
Official Judge
Javier Montiel
I. Aerospace Academy
Official Judge
Ivvone Reyes
NASA Eng. Tech Intern
Official Judge
Alex Grey
NeuroMaker
Official Judge
Kashif Soomro
St. Luke's Hospital Network Eng.
Official Judge
Awais Memon
CPA
Sponsorship opportunity
Championship sponsor tiers
Levels from the January 17, 2026 Johnson League Championship flyer. Choose a tier or reach out and we will shape a package around your goals.
Title Sponsor
$20,000+
Premier logo on all materials, recognition at ceremonies, and the opportunity to present awards.
Supports full event costs and keeps no-cost participation open.
Platinum Sponsor
$10,000 to $15,000
Logo on signage, shirts, and media, plus features in press releases.
Funds robotics kits, fields, and scholarships for Title I-IV schools.
Gold Sponsor
$5,000 to $8,000
Logo on banners and social media, with recognition during awards.
Funds robotics technology, field elements, and judging systems.
Silver Sponsor
$2,000 to $4,000
Logo on materials and social media, with an optional event booth.
Supports volunteer and student leadership programs, meals, and 40-hour service credits.
Community Sponsor
$500+
Name listed on flyers, the website, and at the closing ceremony.
Funds logistics, trophies, medals, and hospitality.
Team documentation
Build guides and programming resources
Start with REV DUO hardware, manage devices in Hardware Client, then choose Blocks or OnBot Java for Hello Robot.
Materials
Posters, collages, and documents for this lane
Championship sponsorship flyer
January 17, 2026 championship details and sponsor tiers
Season collage
FTC Johnson League 2025-26 builds, field, and team moments
Staff and officials
Refs, judges, tournament director, and season partners