High school robotics team IceStorm makes competition debut in Duluth
Cook County’s robotics team, called IceStorm, competed in the FIRST Robotics Competition Duluth Regionals, ranking 24th out of 54 teams.
IceStorm team members Aidan Selin, Deborah Burton, Gabby Grinnell, and Ava Niemeyer were overjoyed after winning their first qualifying match on Feb. 28.
“One, two, three…R-tec!” exclaimed the team, cheering the name of their robot.
“We won, we won, we won!” said Coach Sarah Anderson after their first win. “They did a really great job. What a lot of people don’t know is FIRST Robotics is regulated by the Minnesota State High School League, just the same as athletics,” said Anderson. “It’s considered a sport for the mind.”
That early victory was followed by four more wins and four losses, placing them in the top half of the Northern Lights Regional division. This was the team’s first ever competition.
As for future plans, IceStorm is looking forward to having fun with their R-tec robot around school and continuing to learn about programming.
“The team is having a banquet in May, where anyone curious about robotics can show up and learn what all the excitement is about,” said Coach Anderson.
Chuck Olsen March 11, 2025
