The‌ ‌Gear‌ ‌Grinders‌ ‌are‌ ‌a‌ ‌school‌-based‌ ‌FIRST‌ Tech‌ ‌Challenge‌ ‌robotics‌ ‌team‌ ‌from‌ ‌Fulton,‌ ‌Illinois.‌ ‌Currently,‌ ‌the‌ ‌team‌ ‌is‌ ‌made‌ ‌up‌ ‌of‌ ‌students‌ ‌ranging‌ ‌from‌ ‌7th‌ ‌to‌ ‌12th‌ ‌grade.‌ ‌The first ‌season‌ was a big challenge ‌to our‌ ‌team’s‌ ‌programming‌ ‌and‌ engineering‌ ‌skills;‌ ‌but as always, we persevered.‌ ‌ Regardless‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌challenges,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Gear‌ ‌Grinders‌ ‌have‌ ‌continually‌ ‌improved‌ ‌each‌ ‌season.‌ ‌During‌ ‌the‌ ‌2018-2019‌ ‌season,‌ ‌the‌ ‌team‌ ‌was‌ ‌Second‌ ‌place‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌Control‌ ‌Award‌ ‌and‌ ‌Captain‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Second‌ ‌Team‌ ‌Alliance,‌ ‌moving‌ ‌on‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Illinois‌ ‌State‌ ‌Championship.‌‌ ‌During‌ ‌the‌ ‌2019-2020‌ ‌season‌, ‌the‌ ‌team‌ ‌won‌ ‌the‌ ‌Motivate‌ ‌Award‌ ‌and‌ ‌was‌ ‌chosen‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌2nd‌ ‌team‌ ‌alliance‌ ‌partner, moving on to the Illinois State Championship.  During the 2020-2021 season, the team also moved on to a remote state championship.  In the 2021-2022 season, we won the innovate award at the state qualifiers.  In the (2022-2023) season we once again recruited students from Unity Christian Schools (another local school we have worked with in the past).  We are always happy to spread the word of F.I.R.S.T. and S.T.E.M.