Isabelle Mecklin and Alex Stone, once freshmen on a team of just 7, now lead a squad of 14 students on the Two Harbors Rock Solid Robotics team. When they first joined, the team was small, and last year, without any seniors, they took on leadership roles as juniors. Team numbers are finally rebounding to pre-COVID levels, after the pandemic caused a noticeable drop.
“It’s kind of been at least one of my main goals—trying to get more people involved,” Mecklin said. “We do lunch demonstrations. A lot of kids in the school don’t know what it is to a great extent. We’re just trying to educate as many as we can about what it actually is.”
I, for one, was excited to learn more about what the Robotics Club entails. I wasn’t disappointed, even if I had been imagining something more like BattleBots in my head. I certainly wasn’t expecting a robot named Bubbles that stands around 8 feet tall at full height.
“When it’s compacted, it’s 42 inches,” Mecklin explained. “But it can get really tall. Ours is actually one of the smaller ones.”
Bubbles, named to align with the Reefscape theme of this year’s Robotics Double Decker competition at the DECC, was almost too tall to compete.
“We made it 2 inches taller than the actual height it’s allowed,” recalled Stone. “So, we ended up getting the Sawzall and cutting parts off to make it work last minute. Thank goodness it actually did end up working in the long run.”
Mecklin added, “That’s part of thinking on your feet and making sure you don’t get stressed out.”
Keeping a cool head is just one of the skills students learn while participating in the club. I asked AI for a list, and it gave me enough results that I had to scroll quite a bit, including problem-solving, teamwork, creativity, confidence, collaboration, programming, math skills, and many others.
The captains highlighted “gracious professionalism” and the soft skills they’ve built. They’re even excelling in media marketing, with newspapers like ours featured in their efforts!
“It’s really focused on working with others because when you’re competing, you’re on an alliance,” said Mecklin. “You might play with them one match, and then in a couple of matches, you’re playing against them. So, you have to learn to work with everybody.”
The Double DECCer, so named because the DECC hosts the Lake Superior and Northern Lights Regionals together, brought hundreds of people and robots to Duluth on March 1. In the days leading up to the event, teams were able to put their creations to the test before the real competition began.
On the big day, after a bit of panic about Bubbles’ size, the team delivered an incredible performance. The challenge simulated a coral reef, which included harvesting algae, placing coral on the reef, and attaching their barges. (There were exercise balls and a lot of PVC pipe involved.) There were also additional points to rack up and penalties that could bring your team down.
It was an event they described as nothing short of intense, with every moment filled with high stakes and adrenaline.
“Everyone’s making sure we’re all drinking water and making sure that everyone feels okay. It’s a long weekend,” said Mecklin. “I was making sure we’re all taking breaks.”
Only five students are allowed on the field to drive the robot, while the rest of the team, coaches, mentors, family, and fans cheer from the stands.
Originally sketched out with an Apple Pen, Bubbles—adorned with numerous stickers bearing the logos of generous sponsors—helped the team secure an impressive 5th place out of 54 teams.
“I think when I first joined, we were 50 out of 60,” said Stone. “We’ve really had an upward trajectory in our competitions.”
Placing in the top 5, especially for a smaller school and a smaller club, makes the achievement even more impressive.
“We’re punching above our weight class,” said Stone. “We’ve been extremely successful at the competition. At least for me, these last few games we have played over the last couple years have been some of the most exciting.”
In case you’re wondering, you can’t go BattleBot-style in the competition. Those penalties I mentioned earlier? Intentionally harming another robot is against the rules and can be detrimental to a team. Stone mentioned that there are over 100 pages of rules they all try to memorize. But accidents do happen, and even pool noodle-protected robots can break, so many teams bring extra parts just in case.
With the success of their last competition, the team has extended their season. Their next challenge is in St. Cloud, beginning on April 4. Mecklin advised that everyone will have had six weeks to improve their robots, raising the stakes for even fiercer competition.
With a diverse range of roles and sub-teams— ranging from designers to programmers—the team’s success has come from its ability to leverage each member’s unique strengths and expertise. Whether you’re a seasoned tech enthusiast or a newcomer eager to learn, the club welcomes students of all abilities, encouraging everyone to find their place and contribute to the team’s collective success.
“Some people do walk in and they know nothing, so we really try to emphasize that we’ll teach you whatever you would like to learn,” said Mecklin. “I think that some people come in who have never done anything related to building or robots and leave learning a lot more than they expected.”
“People should join the team and come have some fun with us,” echoed Stone, a sentiment he shared in a recent school spotlight where he was quoted as saying, “Definitely join Robotics; you won’t regret it.”
Congratulations to the Rock Solid Robotics team for their great finish at the Double DECCer, and best of luck in St. Cloud! Also, an additional congratulations to Alex Stone who, as a track and cross-country runner, was awarded the Two Harbors High School Triple A award for his participation in Academics, Arts, and Athletics!
