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Education Foundation grants credited with rapid growth of Rice Lake robotics program
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Summary
At its Dec. 8 meeting the Rice Lake Area School District board heard that multi-year grants from the Education Foundation of Rice Lake helped expand VEX robotics across the district and region; organizers said the upcoming Dec. 13 regional tournament will host about 34 teams and is open to the public.
Pete, a representative of the Education Foundation–supported robotics program, told the Rice Lake Area School District board that multi-year grants have helped the district grow elementary through high-school robotics into a regional destination.
"This year, to date, it's actually the largest regional tournament in the state right now," Pete said, adding that the regional tournament had about 34 teams entered as of the morning of his update. He invited the public to attend the regional competition on Saturday, Dec. 13, in the Oly Olsen Gym, set to run roughly 9:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m.
Why it matters: Foundation grants, Pete said, provided sustained investment over four years that helped programs scale from a few teams into more than 100 students competing across Barron County. He credited local sponsors with making continued growth possible, naming McCain Foods (a $10,000 program-level sponsorship this year), Rice Lake Weighing Systems ($6,000 support for the middle-school program) and ongoing contributions from local businesses and organizations.
Details and background: Pete described support for both VEX IQ at lower grade levels (programs at St. Joseph and Barron Middle School) and high-school-level Warrior Robotics. He said the Education Foundation has awarded "well over $100,000" to staff and students districtwide to date to back programs that are not funded by tax dollars. Pete noted travel and parts remain expensive and that community sponsorships and the foundation's endowment underpin sustainability.
Sponsors and partners mentioned included McCain Foods, Solos Automation, Link Ford, Rice Lake Weighing Systems and 3M; tournament partners and school volunteers also were credited with helping host events.
What comes next: Organizers said they will continue outreach to neighboring districts and invite community attendance at tournaments as a way to grow interest and support. Board members welcomed the report and public invitations to the tournament.
