By Jessica Moen-Baker
Three local robotics teams are headed to the DECC this weekend to attend the Double DECCer – the combined Lake Superior and Northern Lights FIRST ® FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) regionals. The 2025 competition will be held February 27 through March 1 and is the largest non-championship FRC competition under one roof.
Two Harbors (Rock Solid Robotics #4656), Silver Bay (Mariner Robotics #3267), and Ely (Ely Robotics #10490) will be competing alongside 108 teams from 7 other states. Teams spend six intense weeks designing, building, and programming their robot in the FIRST© Robotics Competition. They compete for honors and recognition that reward design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship, and high-impact partnerships between schools, businesses, and communities.
Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST© (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a robotics community preparing young people for the future. More than 2,500 students will compete at the Duluth Regionals to earn a spot at the international FIRST© Championship to be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.
“It’s a great way for community experts to mentor students, share knowledge, and learn from other professionals. It bridges gaps by connecting age groups, teens working alongside adults of every age, to complete difficult planning, coordinating and execution of real-world challenges with strict time constraints helping to prepare them for the real world. I encourage anyone interested to get involved as a student or mentor a local team,” said Floyd Baker, team 3267 programming mentor.
Ruby, team 3267 driver, stated, “FIRST® Robotics is an excellent program. It teaches communication, networking, collaboration, problem solving and teamwork. On the robot side of it, it’s been fun to learn about engineering, electronics, and programming. We’re so thankful to sponsors who help make this program possible.”
This year’s theme is REEFSCAPE, an ocean conservation-themed game. Two alliances of three teams compete to score points by harvesting algae, placing coral on their reef, and attaching to their barge to ascend, with additional rewards for meeting scoring thresholds and cooperation.
Come cheer on your favorites! Anyone can attend the fast-paced event all day Thursday (practice rounds), Friday (qualification rounds) or Saturday (qualification and playoff rounds) at the DECC. There is no charge for admission. To learn more and to see scheduling, go to https://frcnorthland.org/duluth-regionals/ or follow FIRST Robotics Competition in MN & Dakotas and Mariner Robotics 3267 on Facebook.
