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The Devildogs Robotics Team. Author Maddie Hall is second from the right.

It all started with an after-school LEGO robotics program. As a third grader at Lester Park Elementary School, I had no idea that my best friend’s interest in STEM would help ignite a robotics movement across the Northland. The following year, as a fourth grader, I joined my friend Lily and five other students to form our first competitive FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge team – the Fireballs.

My two years with the Fireballs were transformative. While building and programming were valuable skills, the most important lessons I learned were teamwork, public speaking and how to support my teammates. These experiences laid the foundation for my future in robotics and even began shaping my career in high school and beyond.

In sixth grade, I transitioned to the next level of competitive robotics: FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). FTC introduced me to an entirely new aspect of robotics – leadership, team management and documentation. 

FTC teams don’t just design, build and program robots; they also develop an engineering portfolio detailing their season and give demos and presentations of their robot to professionals and judges. It was here that I discovered my passion, realizing that FTC teams have a role for everyone.

However, the journey wasn’t without challenges. At the end of my first year in FTC, the COVID pandemic shut everything down, and we lost our practice space. 

Determined to keep going, we began meeting virtually, discussing our team’s future. During these conversations, we identified a significant gap in robotics opportunities for students in our community. 
That realization led to the creation of 3D Robotics Duluth, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to robotics and STEM for K-12 students.

With a mission to make robotics education accessible to everyone, 3D Robotics Duluth launched with one FLL and one FTC team and introduced an FLL Explore program for students in grades K-3 the following year. 

To build on these opportunities, we held summer camps designed for kids of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. What started as a small team has since grown into a thriving community – now home to 20 teams and more than 150 families.

As our organization expanded, so did my role on the team. In the past six years with my FTC team, the Devildogs, I have taken on leadership responsibilities, specializing in team management, outreach and documentation. 

Now, as team captain, I’ve learned that teamwork and communication aren’t just important – they’re essential to an organization’s success and growth.

The biggest lesson FTC has taught me is that success isn’t just about the robot we build each season; it’s about collaboration, shared goals and lifting each other up. 

Through the years, as our ambitions have grown, so has our understanding that teamwork is the key to running a successful team. My teammates and I have become more than just competitors, we’ve become a family.

Now, as we prepare for the biggest event of our robotics journey – the FTC World Championships in Houston, Texas, this April – I look back at my third-grade self and reflect on how life-changing robotics has been. 

Every skill learned, every competition, every win, and every setback has brought my team to this moment – the honor of representing Minnesota on the world stage. It’s a reminder that good things take time and patience, and with hard work, success will follow.

As we head to Houston, I know this journey has never been just about building robots. It’s about building opportunities, connections and a lasting impact. From a small group of elementary students with big dreams to a thriving robotics community, our story proves that passion and perseverance can create real change. 

I’m excited to see robotics in the Northland continue to grow, inspiring new innovators, engineers and teams to continue building, collaborating and achieving their dreams together. 

You can help the team get to Houston:
gofundme.com/f/help-duluths-youth-shine-at-world-championship