Alerus Center hosts regional FIRST Robotics competition

Mar. 11—GRAND FORKS — The near whiteout conditions of Blizzard Emily did not deter hundreds of participants from attending the FIRST Robotics Competition's Great Northern Regional at the Alerus Center on Saturday.

The event featured approximately 1,000 students in grades 9-12, representing 54 teams from four states — Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota.

According to Russ Anderson, one of the event's organizers, FIRST is an acronym meaning "for inspiration in science and technology."

He said in addition to the awards given for best robots, the competition has an "impact award," which honors teams who better their community. Some examples include building motorized wheelchairs, and installing flags for American Legion posts.

"There are lots of factors that go into awarding the impact award," said Russ Anderson. "They push for teams to not just build a robot, but also build a culture of learning — to show that going into engineering, medicine or other STEM related fields is a good thing."

Several prominent employers from the region — Digi-Key Electronics, Marvin Windows and John Deere to name a few — exhibited career opportunities at the events. Russ Anderson said FIRST Robotics teaches students the skills these employers are seeking.

"These are the kinds of kids they want working for them," said Russ Anderson. "They want a student who's adaptable, can think on their feet and is used to talking in front of people."

Following the qualification matches, the top eight remaining teams choose alliances. According to Mary Anderson, leader of the event's planning committee, these remaining teams market themselves to potential allies with the hope of winning the competition.

"The kids have a little business going on," said Mary Anderson. "They market themselves by decor, using photography, video creation — it really encompasses a lot of life skills."

Mary Anderson also said FIRST Robotics provides students with the opportunity to make lasting personal and professional connections, particularly through interactions with the competition's judges represented by prominent employers.

"The kids get those interactions, and they can lead to great opportunities such as internships," said Mary Anderson.

Bella Burkel, a senior on Greenbush, Minnesota's team, said FIRST Robotics provides training for her desired career path — marketing, social media, and photography. Burkel said it is a dynamic environment that demands fast thinking.

"I think the most exciting part about this event is seeing how quickly you can recover from a setback," said Burkel. "Like when the robot breaks, or an alliance doesn't choose you. It's really important to bounce back quickly and be reactive, but also be respectful and FIRST really honors that motto."

The top alliance — denoting the three teams who partner to win the event — along with the aforementioned impact award winner, will attend nationals in Houston in April.