Osseo Area Schools robots out and about: showcasing persistence, teamwork and robotics success

Robotics teams from across the district recently put their skills and determination to the test at two major tournaments. Maple Grove Senior High School (MGSH) and Park Center Senior High School (PCSH) competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) tournaments graciously hosted by MGSH Crimson Robotics, while Osseo Senior High School (OSH) showcased their talent at the VEX Robotics Granite City High Stakes tournament.

These events were not just about competition but also about persistence, teamwork and a shared passion for STEM. Robotics is one of the few high school activities where every participant has the potential to go professional-developing skills that directly translate into college and career opportunities in engineering, technology, business, marketing and beyond.

MGSH

• Crimson Shark Bytes: Demonstrated excellent engineering and earned the Connect Award for their commitment to building connections within the STEM community.
• Crimson Coral: Achieved Playoff Alliance Captain, showcasing incredible gameplay and strategic problem-solving.

PCSH

• Pearls of the Golden Pirates: Combined perseverance and collaboration to secure Playoff Alliance Captain and received second place for the Connect Award for their outstanding outreach efforts.
• Marooned Golden Pirates: Displayed innovation and persistence, winning the Stratasys 3D Printing Award and the Innovate Award by RTX for their unique design, prototyping and 3D printing of their manipulator and the High Tech Gear Up Award for inclusivity and excellence.
• Skeleton Crew of the Golden Pirates: Showcased resilience and teamwork throughout the competition, proving that persistence pays off.

OSH

• The Osseo Robotics teams took on challenges in the high school and middle school divisions at the Granite City High Stakes tournament, demonstrating their drive to succeed:
  • The Vexecutioners: Exemplified hard work and precision, finishing second in the Skills competition and earning a spot at State this spring.
  • Work in Progress: Competed and learned a lot about the game, highlighting their strong teamwork and adaptability.
  • The Vexers: Reached the playoffs. Their resilience and determination were evident in every match.
  • AI Avengers: A rookie middle school team competed in their first tournament, learning valuable lessons and walking away inspired to improve for future events.

For OSH, the journey continues with upcoming VEX Robotics competitions. The teams are already focused on making improvements and are excited for what’s ahead. Meanwhile, MGSH and PCSH teams are gearing up for the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) winter league, where they’ll build and compete with large-scale robots in thrilling three-day tournaments.