Fairmont robotics team wins regional, qualifies for world championships; school matched $90,000 grant for new STEM lab

The Fairmont robotics team told the school board on May 27 that the program secured its first-ever regional win in Duluth and qualified for the world championships in Houston, highlighting the program’s growth and local industry partnerships.

The presentation, delivered by a team mentor and three student leaders, outlined competitive results from regional events — where organizers said roughly 60 teams competed — and a season that culminated in the Minnesota State High School League championships. Senior and team captain Sam Groen said winning the Duluth regional in his final year was a career highlight: "Winning DUTH just because... it was kind of nice my final year being able to finally secure that win," Groen said. He added that robotics helped him secure a summer internship at Aluma Trailers.

The mentor described technical achievements: at two regional events the team won autonomous awards that recognize a robot’s independent programming, and at the Minneapolis regional the team recorded the highest individual robot score. The presenter said this season included 23 senior-high and 14 junior-high members and credited sustained community mentoring and the district’s recent investment in facilities for that success.

Board members and presenters attributed a jump in in-house manufacturing capability to a grant and local match. The mentor said the team received a large grant from the Schmeckley Foundation that the school matched, producing $90,000 to convert an old wood shop into a STEM/robotics lab; the upgrade allowed students to manufacture parts on-site for the first time.

Student leaders described what they learned from competition and collaborative formats that pair teams in some rounds. "Coop-erition," one student explained, referring to the mix of cooperation and competition when teams sometimes play together and sometimes compete. Junior Katie Simpson said robotics improved her communication and public-speaking skills; fellow junior Kelly called the playoff that advanced the team to worlds an "intense and exciting" bonding moment.

The board praised the partnership between schools and local businesses and thanked volunteers and district staff who supported the grant and facility upgrades. The mentor closed by thanking custodial, administration, IT and activities staff and by noting the contribution of Aaron Perkins, a Fairmont Schools science teacher who was not present but was credited with strengthening the program’s connections to students.

The board did not take a formal vote on the presentation. The district will discuss facilities and program supports further as the facilities assessment process continues and as budget and scheduling decisions move forward.