About Us
We are StuyPulse, FIRST FRC Team 694.
Our nickname is derived from the idea that we are at the heart of our student body and local community. The mission of StuyPulse is to help students find their pulse for lifelong learning through a team culture that shares knowledge and gives back to the community. Our goal is to incentivize STEM ideas and cultivate skills in engineering, programming, business, teamwork, and leadership through our participation in FIRST Robotics Competitions. We hope to serve as an inspiration for people in our community and educate them on the wonders of the scientific community while simultaneously giving back through various outreach events. Our priority is making sure that everyone even slightly interested in STEM has the chance to further explore their interests and develop skills that will allow them to succeed. We are a no-cut, no tryout, all inclusive team that strives to make it possible for all individuals to be a part of an accepting community that allows people to explore the world of robotics and prepare for their futures.
Team 694 Today
Team 694 is made up of about 150 students and participates annually in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). During our six-week build season, we work almost daily in our laboratory at Stuyvesant as our dedicated team members collaborate to design, construct, and program our competing robot with the help of gracious parents and volunteer mentors.
We strive to share our experience with teams in need. To this end we mentor teams and schools both in FRC, FIRSTTech, and FIRST Lego League, as well as performing street-level demos in our school. Our team is currently mentoring FLL teams across the city and hoping to expand our efforts. Furthermore, we also assist FRC teams during competitions with PulseCrew, which is made up of a group of experienced students dedicated to helping others with any Software or Mechanical Engineering issues they may encounter. When we hosted our labs grand opening in December 2022, we demoed our robot for various members of our school's staff as well as Councilmembers and Senators. Continuing our efforts in expanding STEM opportunities, we invited an assemblymember to tour our lab in November 2025.
Team 694's impact lasts not only in our local community, but also intrinsically, within our team's community. We have a 100% graduation rate, with most being accepted to some of the best universities in the world. To help perpetuate this high standard, we all help to drive one another to do better in school and help each other out when aid is needed.
StuyPulse's Beginnings
Our team was founded in the fall of 2000 by a group of students and parents who were ready to take on the formidable task of building our first robot. They shared a common interest in robotics, and although few on the team had known each other prior to forming the team, they quickly learned the importance of cooperation and teamwork, and used it to accumulate the team members, sponsors, and mentors we have today. From the moment we raised funds for the daunting entrance fees to the FIRST competition, we were destined to succeed: eventually scoring highest in our division at the Champtionship Event in only our rookie year.
What makes StuyPulse unique?
One of the things that Team 694 takes pride in is our overwhelming diversity. Our team speaks over twenty languages at home, and more than fifty percent qualify for free and/or reduced lunch, and over seventy percent of our team are first generation Americans.
Our team maintains close-knit relationships with one another despite the sheer number of members we have. Bonding occurs naturally, yet events such as our team dinner, extravaganzas, and honorary birthday mentions help speed this up! The journey to regionals across the country is anything but boring and is kept close to our hearts.
StuyPulse at the 2022 SBPLI Long Island Regional #2
As a team, StuyPulse has gone on to be champions numerous times. In 2025, we won all three of our regional events and went on to the semifinals. Weve qualified for Champs in Houston for the last several years.
Team 694 in Media
A large part of StuyPulse's mission is to help spread the message of FIRST via newsletters, television, social media, and more. The local papers The TriBeCa Tribune and Tribeca Citizen and the Chinese-language paper China Daily have done segments of our team during the build season. We also make regular appearances in our own school newspaper, The Spectator. At demonstrations and other events weve been interviewed by radio and television stations in Arabic, Russian, and of course English. Weve made frequent appearances on the YouTube channel FUN Robotics Network, where we showcase our robots and the mechanisms behind it.
About FIRST
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a multinational non-profit organization that, in the words of its founder, Dean Kamen, seeks to “transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes.” From its founding in 1989, FIRST has positively impacted the lives of young students around the world through its accessible and innovative programs. These programs are designed to inspire and encourage participants to pursue careers in science, technology and math, and develop teamwork and skills in public relations, strategy, dedication, and outreach. Through partnerships with local and global businesses, dedicated volunteers with professional backgrounds, and the tireless efforts of students, teachers, and parents, FIRST opens a whole new world for generations of young adults and equips them with the skills to achieve success.