The History of Team 223

Team 223 was founded in 1999 by Wayne Kelly, Cliff Tanslick, and Don Kactslis to allow students from New Brunswick High School to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition. A lot of hard work and 250+ hours later, Team 223 created our first robot. We have gone through many years of changes, but we still continue to strive to be the best we can be.

Qualified for FMA District Championships every year since 2012 inception.

2023 – Placed second at warren hills district qualifier

2022 – Won the Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors at both the Mount Olive and the Montgomery District Events.
2021 – Selected as Semi-Finalists for the FIRST Innovation Challenge – 95 total teams were selected out of over 2000 teams.
2019 – Won the Spirit Award sponsored by FCA Foundation at Montgomery District Event
Dean’s List Finalist (Jake Weirer)
Selected by 2nd alliance in the Daly Division at the FIRST Championship in Detroit
2018 – District event finalist at  Mount Olive  & received the Creativity Award at Seneca
2017 – Received two Innovation and Control award as well as a District Event Finalist at the Montgomery District Event
Created the Michael Storm Fischer Memorial Scholarship for an alumni who unfortunately passed away very young.
2016 – Won the Bridgewater District Event
2015 - Finalists at the Seneca District Event.
2014 - Won the Creativity Award sponsored by Xerox as well as the MAR Championship Rockwell Innovation in Control Award 
2012 – Qualified for the first ever MAR District Championship at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.
won the FIRST Dean’s List Award (Steven Donow)
received the Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen
2010 - MCVTS-Piscataway High School left Team 223 leaving Lakeland Regional High School to pick up the pieces.
2007 - Lakeland Regional High School joined Team 223.
second place overall at the New Jersey Regional competition
semi-finalists at Nationals in Atlanta
2005 - New Brunswick High School was unable to continue with the program
won a non-FIRST competition and made it to semi-finals at the New Jersey Regional competition, the Virginia Regional competition, and to Nationals.
2002 - Name officially changed to Xtreme Heat
2000 - the Piscataway branch of Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools joined the team
the team name is named the "Zaiders"
1999 - awarded “Rookie Team of the Year”
went to the National Competition at Epcot in Disney World