How FTAD Is Different from Existing STEM Programs
FTAD combines engineering, entrepreneurship, and competition into one integrated program. Students are not just building a machine; they are operating a professional organization with real fiscal, creative, and strategic responsibilities.
Integrated program design
FTAD combines engineering, entrepreneurship, and competition into one program — not three separate activities.
Real organizational responsibility
Students operate a professional organization with fiscal, creative, and strategic responsibilities, not just a build club.
Student-led by design
Faculty serve oversight roles. Students hold the leadership positions, make the calls, and own the outcomes.
Competitive stakes
Regional and national events give teams a genuine competitive arc across the full school year.
Educational Outcomes
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STEM and engineering thinking
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Teamwork and project management
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Strategic problem-solving
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College application differentiation
What FTAD Provides Your School
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Full onboarding materials and chapter handbook
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Technical resources and spec documentation
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Community of peer schools
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Dedicated FTAD admin support throughout the season
Requirements to Start a Chapter
Entry barriers are intentionally minimal.
Faculty Advisor
One faculty member willing to supervise weekly meetings and sign off on competition registrations.
Meeting Space
A classroom, lab, or workspace where the team can meet and work on builds during the season.
Student Interest
A minimum of five students who are ready to commit to the team for the duration of the season.
Commitment scales with team ambitions. Faculty serve oversight roles while the program remains student-led by design.
Common Questions
Schools provide space and supervision; FTAD provides everything else — program structure, ruleset, and support. Entry barriers are intentionally minimal.
No prior experience is needed. FTAD provides the structure, ruleset, and support for students to develop skills from the ground up.
The program is student-led — faculty advisors serve in an oversight capacity. Commitment scales with team ambitions, and the schedule aligns with the school calendar.
Regional events are open to all registered teams. National events are by invitation. The program follows a two-year development cycle: Year 1 focuses on experimentation and building; Year 2 focuses on optimization and competition.
FTAD operates as an independent program and is currently active across 5 schools. It is not affiliated with any broader academic or extracurricular framework.
“I was skeptical about the time commitment, but FTAD structures itself around the school calendar. My students took ownership immediately.”
Faculty Advisor, Ridgeline High School