Aldine’s 44 Engineering Group Makes Memorable Debut at Comicpalooza 2025

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HOUSTON — The 44 Engineering Robotics Group, made up of talented students from Carver, Eisenhower, and Blanson high schools, made its debut appearance at Comicpalooza 2025, held June 20-22 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.

As the largest annual pop culture convention in the Southern U.S., Comicpalooza features a fusion of comics, science fiction, anime, gaming, and science-based innovation. This year, Aldine ISD’s 44 Engineering Group brought a splash of STEM to the scene — and turned heads while doing it.

Initially expecting to join other FIRST in Texas teams in a traditional gameplay demo, the students were thrown a curveball just two days before the event. Carver students were asked to pivot from competition mode to exhibition mode, tasked with building an interactive and engaging display that could captivate thousands of attendees.

And they delivered.

Reimagining the functionality of their competition robot, students transformed it into a fully operational R2-D2 replica— complete with a functioning Star Wars-style lightsaber. Unlike the other robots on display, the 44 Engineering Group’s creation could interact with guests, waving its saber at curious onlookers, young and old.

“This event was very different from our usual competitions,” said Rolando Hernandez, Robotics Organization President and senior at Carver High School. “I was able to see the impact we have on people and how we can genuinely engage them in STEM. Seeing little kids excited about our robot taught me that it is up to us to inspire the future.”

The robot’s popularity skyrocketed throughout the weekend. On Sunday, students were invited to showcase it in the celebrity photo and autograph section of the convention center, with their invention entertaining an estimated crowd of over 1,000 people waiting in line.

“I learned a lot about teamwork,” said Nataly Mazariegos, past 44 Organization President and fellow senior at Carver. “We got better at working together to show off what we can do in front of a crowd beyond the competition field. We received an unforgettable experience and gained confidence by presenting our work in a busy, public environment, which helped improve our public speaking and outreach skills.”

After the event, Robotics Coach Dr. Don Prier reflected on the importance of the moment.

“I think the kids will be more confident in their skills and abilities, especially in their math and science classes,” Prier said. “From a social perspective, I think they learned that it is OK to be a nerd like me, Monikka, Tim Lewis, and their FIRST Alumni coach and IKE graduate Lillian Prier!”

The 44 Engineering Group’s standout showing at Comicpalooza proved that engineering isn’t just about winning — it’s about creating moments that inspire, connect, and make STEM fun for the next generation.