The Golden Ratio, a McHenry County-based robotics team for high school students, are Houston-bound in April after qualifying to compete in an international competition for a third consecutive time.

Last year, the team finished 38th in its division. The FIRST Championship is an international competition for youth robotics teams to show off their skills in science, technology, engineering and math. This year’s competition will be held April 29 to May 2 in Houston, where hundreds of teams from over 60 countries will compete.

This year’s entry is doubly impressive for Golden Ratio because the team of five high schoolers qualified to compete on the world stage by winning first place in the Illinois state championship and winning second place for the Inspire Award.

The Inspire Award is given to teams who excel in all categories, from technical strategies to community outreach and marketing. The Golden Ratio won first place for the award at last year’s state competition.

The 2026 Golden Ratio team includes Chris Ptaszek and Josiah Ryan from Cary-Grove High School; Josh Weston from Johnsburg High School; and home-schooled students Nehemiah Schultz from Island Lake and Antoniki Shapovalova, who is also already attending Elgin Community College.

The team won first place with its alliance partner group based out of Naperville called The Techineers earlier this month at the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center in DeKalb. Nearly 50 teams competed for the top seven spots in order to qualify for the world stage.

This year’s robot created and programmed by the high schoolers, called Blitz, uses a camera and extended mechanical arms to launch items into baskets in a bid to outscore the opposing team.

Having been to the world championship twice before, Ryan said he’s feeling a bit more confident this time around. The team has only lost one match this season.

“I’m grateful to have this team,” he said. “This is probably our best season so far.”

But there are still stressors, like needing to raise about $25,000 by April 6 to cover supplies, registration, travel and lodging costs. The team gets support from company sponsors like Baxter and Swiss Automation, but the team is always looking for more businesses and community members to help, coach Melissa Ryan said.

“It takes a community to bring a community to Worlds,” she said.

Donations can be made to the team’s PayPal fundraising page at bit.ly/GoldenRatio2026.

The team works out of a space at the Trinity Baptist Community Church, at 5918 S. Route 31 in Crystal Lake. Not only does the team use the space for competition preparations, but it’s also a hub that the community can use, so STEM activities can reach more people.

This year, Weston said they have helped a team in Boston make it to their state championships, and also supported two teams in Jamaica.

“Their excellence helps other teams also be excellent,” Melissa Ryan said.

With two seniors on the team, the Golden Ratio is always looking for more members. Any high schooler in the McHenry County area can apply – there is no need for prior STEM experience.

“What we look for is a strong ambition and willingness to learn,” Josiah Ryan said.