Team History

The Power of a Dream: 

The Full History of FIRST Robotics Team 5142

In the story of New Haven’s rising innovation culture, one team stands as a shining example of what happens when education, opportunity, and community collide. That team is FIRST Robotics Team 5142 — a group of passionate young engineers, builders, and thinkers whose journey from a single classroom has become a powerful movement of hope and invention.

The Humble Beginnings (2012–2014)

Team 5142 was dreamed in 2012 and founded in 2014 by Dr. Didacus Oparaocha, a Robotics Engineering Teacher at ESUMS (Engineering and Science University Magnet School), part of New Haven Public Schools. At the time, Dr. Oparaocha — also a Subject Matter Expert, Flight Test Engineer; Senior Technical Instructor at Sikorsky Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin Company — saw the potential to bring the world of robotics and engineering alive for his high school students in a transformative way.

The idea was simple but revolutionary: combine the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) framework with a rigorous, hands-on Advanced Robotics Engineering Curriculum taught in class. The six-week build season of FRC was embedded directly into the course, allowing students to learn by doing — designing, prototyping, building, and programming a fully functional robot under real competition conditions.

From that classroom, Team 5142 was born. With Nashurai serving as the team’s first captain, the group set out on their first journey — not just to compete, but to learn, grow, and inspire.

The Expansion Years (2015–2019)

As the program gained traction, it became clear that this wasn’t just a class project — it was a launchpad for futures in STEM. Word spread, and interest grew beyond ESUMS to include students from other New Haven schools. What began with a handful of students soon expanded into a broader, more inclusive community of learners, united by a passion for robotics and a hunger to innovate.

Team 5142 quickly outgrew the classroom. With more students, more parts, and more potential, a larger space was needed to accommodate the scale of their work. Community partners, school officials, and mentors stepped in to help, providing support and guidance to build a thriving, competitive robotics team with a mission far beyond the robot.

The team began mentoring younger students, hosting workshops, and participating in community STEM events. Robotics became more than a program — it became a platform for equity, creativity, and leadership.

Challenges, Growth, and Recognition (2020–2023)

Like many programs, the pandemic years presented unique challenges, but Team 5142 adapted. They utilized virtual tools, safe build protocols, and creative problem-solving to continue learning and building even in uncertain times. The team’s resilience showed just how deeply their values were rooted in persistence and innovation.

During this time, more mentors and professionals from New Haven’s engineering community joined the effort. The team’s operations became more sophisticated, their designs more advanced, and their influence more far-reaching. They began to attract attention not just from local leaders, but from national organizations in education and technology.

The Breakthrough Year: (2024–2025)

This year marked a turning point in Team 5142’s history. After years of steady growth, technical improvement, and competitive excellence, the team earned the opportunity to attend the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas — a global event that brings together the best student engineers from across the world.

This achievement represents not just technical success, but a deep, long-term commitment to empowering students, many of whom are first-generation college hopefuls or come from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM.

Where We Are Now: A Vision for the Future

Today, Team 5142 stands as a beacon of hope for what is possible in New Haven and beyond. It represents the culmination of years of hard work, mentorship, sacrifice, and dreaming big.

The team operates as a community-based program, welcoming students from various schools across the city, with guidance from industry experts, alumni, teachers, and parents. The need for a permanent, well-equipped innovation space has never been greater as the team looks to scale its impact, mentor younger teams, and build a pipeline from middle school to careers in STEM and aerospace.

Dr. Oparaocha’s original vision lives on — a vision that says with the right tools, support, and spirit, any student can build their way to a brighter future.

Team 5142: From One Classroom to the World.

Rooted in Education. Powered by Community.

Driven by Purpose.