The RECD was founded in 2014 by DHDC, community leaders such as Frank Venegas Jr, from Ideal Contracting, and FIRST in Michigan. It started as 2 rookie teams and has grown into a complete STEAM Pipeline model with 40 FRC teams and over 250 students benefiting from mentorship from 70+ local professionals. The family aspect of DHDC and its wrap-around services, along with amazing mentor support, make the RECD special.
The Robotics Engineering Center of Detroit (RECD) supports FIRST robotics programs K-12 all over the city. Partnering with eight high school teams and nine elementary/middle school programs year-round, the RECD provides access to tooling, materials, and workspaces to students and teams that may not otherwise have it.
The RECD also partners with the Motor City Alliance (MCA) to host Saturday Sessions, providing all local teams with the opportunity to learn, grow, and collaborate, ask questions, and connect with senior mentors in the area.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the funders, partners, and dedicated mentors who make RECD possible. Your investment of time, resources, and belief in our young people fuels innovation, builds confidence, and opens doors to real-world opportunities. Because of your continued support, our youth are not only learning advanced technical skills — they are developing leadership, resilience, and the vision to shape the future of their communities.
To support the RECD, you can make donations by visiting www.dhdc1.org/donate
Investing in Youth. Powering the Future.
Some memories
Check out our teams below!
Team 4838 – Outlaws
The Outlaws are from River Rouge High School. Featuring a strong core and support from GM engineers, this team has found a lot of success in recent years, most notably as an alliance captain at the 2022 Woodhaven District Event.
Team 4680 – AzTech Eagles
The AzTech Eagles are a team from Cesar Chavez Academy in Southwest Detroit. The largest team hosted at DHDC, Team 4680 has found soaring success and won several awards in recent seasons, including Team Sustainability, Imagery, and Team Spirit. To learn more about the AzTech Eagles, check out their Instagram, click here.
Team 5756 – REC’in Crew
REC’in Crew is the DHDC home team! Students from all over the city are welcome to join this community-based team. Known for their bright pink brand, this team does it all, winning the Innovation in Control and Imagery Awards in recent years. To learn more about REC’in Crew and Robotics in Detroit, check out their Instagram, click here.
Team 5619 – RoboJags
Team 5619, the RoboJags, are a team from Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in Northwest Detroit. The RoboJags have absolutely pounced on the competition, ranking 11th at the 2022 Kettering University District Event.
Team 5901 – Electric Eels
Team 5901 is from Voyageur College Prep Academy and has a storied history in FIRST Robotics. They had an absolutely electric season in 2023, winning the Michigan State Championship and qualifying for the World Championship in Houston, TX. They have also won several other awards in recent seasons, including awards for creativity, imagery, and team spirit.
Team 6616 – Mechanical Pumas
The Mechanical Pumas are from Western International High School in Southwest Detroit. A rising star at the RECD, Team 6616 finished the regular season with a 14-12 record and ranked 6th at the Renaissance District Event in 2024. To learn more about the Mechanical Pumas, check out their Instagram, click here.
Team 7196 – Tech Tigers
The Tech Tigers are from Academy of the Americas in Southwest Detroit. They are coming off of a stellar 2024 off-season run, winning the Goonettes Invitational Day 1 and ranking 2nd at the Detroit City Championship. To learn more about the Tech Tigers, check out their website, click here.
Team 7865 – HODAbotics
HODAbotics is a team out of the Hope of Detroit Academy in Southwest Detroit. Team 7865 is one of the youngest high school teams at the RECD, but have found veteran success throughout recent seasons, including finishing in 11th place at the Detroit District Event in 2022.
Interested in getting involved with RECD? Please contact us at kaitlyn@dhdc1.org
