Carmel Valley girl-powered robotics team advances to FIRST Lego League championships

The Coral Coders, an all-girls robotics team made up of Pacific Trail Middle School students and one Sage Canyon Elementary School fourth grader recently advanced to the championship round of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) at the FLL Regionals held at La Costa Canyon High School on Dec. 13.

The team includes fourth grader Kaira Tripathy, eighth graders Maira Tripathy, Kayal Karthik and Sienna Zou; and seventh graders Ameya Sriram and Sophie Taganov. Parent volunteer Sakya Tripathy served as the coach for the girls.

FLL challenges students in robotics, engineering, problem-solving and teamwork through LEGO-based competitions. According to parent mentor Preeti Goel, the girls dedicated many hours after school and on the weekends throughout the fall, while balancing academics and other activities.  The Coral Coders competed in the qualifying competition in early November to reach this month’s regionals, where they advanced to the championships, to be held Jan. 19, 2026 at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo.

“This accomplishment highlights their perseverance, teamwork, and a passion for learning, and serves as an inspiring example—especially for girls—to pursue STEM with confidence,” said Goel. “FIRST provides an exceptional platform for students to explore STEM, and we are grateful to be in a community which nurtures such opportunities.”