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ABOUT FIRST ROBOTICS

Lakes Area Robotics supports two levels of robotics competitions. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is a program for high school students working with adult mentors to learn design, manufacturing, AD, programming, business and marketing skills. FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a middle school program that introduces students to these same concepts, using the familar LEGO systems to compete at regional events. Formore information, visit our About FIRST page.

  • Lakes Area Robotics is a non profit organization that was setup to support the Spirit Lake, IA area FRC team, #5576 - Team Terminator and FLL Team #60636 Mystical Minds.

    • The Team Terminator FRC program runs year round and is split into 4 seasons:

    • Off-Season (May-Aug): During this time meetings are more sporadic and event-based. We focus on outreach events and fundraisers.
    • Pre-Season (Sep-Dec): The team meets biweekly to recruit and train new FRC members.
    • Build Season (Jan-Mar): This is the most critical time for the team. In this two months the competition game is revealed and the robot is constructed. Team meetings will be more frequent.
    • Competition Season (Mar-Apr): The team travels for 1-2 regional events to hopefully qualify for the world championship.

      • The Mystical Minds LEGO League program starts in the fall semester:
      • Season Kickoff (August): Game is annouced for the year, and team roster is created
      • Main season practices (September-December) : The team meets once per week to build the robot and prepare for the presentation.
      • Competition (Early January ~TENTATIVE): The team travels to a competition in Iowa to try and earn a ticket to the state level competition at Iowa State University.



        • SEASON BREAKDOWN

        Both the FRC and FLL games change every year and the kickoff of a new season is a virtual event, but we typically get together and watch it as a team. Kickoff is also an important day for students to breakdown the rules of the game and begin forming their strategy.

        During the build season, teams meet to design and assembly their robot. As we get closer to our competition date, the frequency of meetings increases. We also love it when parents donate snacks for the team. Coaches and mentors determine what dates work best for our schedule. You can always find our practice schedule here.



        The FRC team competes in 2 regionals. Regional competitions are 3.5 days long, a practice day followed by two days of matches. Setup begins Wednesday evening and the competition concludes after the play-offs on Saturday afternoon. Parents are encouraged to attend and it is free to the public. Events are also livestreamed.

        For the 2025 season, our first regional is the TBD Regional Date # - Date #. The other regional we are planning to compete in is the TBD Date # - Date #.

        The FLL team competes at one regional event in Iowa, taking place on a Saturday. Events are a single day, consisting of robot matches and the team presentation. Events are typcially hosted at high schools, and parents are always welcome to cheer on the team!

        These competitions are such a great experience where all our hard work is put into motion. Competition travel and lodging fees are covered by Lakes Area Robotics, if you would like to support your student, your contributions are tax deductible.

        WHAT IS NEEDED FROM PARENTS

        • Register your student in STIMS if you haven't done so already. It's required every year and it doesn't carry over from one FIRST program to another. You can do this by going to firstinspires.org and click on register in the top right corner of the website. If you need help, go to this site. The high school program is FRC or FIRST Robotics Competition, and the team number is 5576. The middel school program is FLL or FIRST LEGO League, and the team number is 60636. This is a requirement for students wanting to participate in any FIRST competition.
        • Complete the parent/guardian liability waiver and health forms. Please indicate if there's any food allergy that we need to be aware of. Have your student turn in a hard copy or email the program coordinator an electronic version. These are due before the build season starts.
        • Each year we order team apparel for both programs. Students will recieve a team shirt for competition, and additional shirts, sweatshirts (and more?) are available for purchase for students, family members, and friends of the program. Keep an eye on your email or contact a hef="mailto:[email protected]">the program coordinator.
        • Assistance with fundraising and sponsorship. Our team is largely supported by area businesses, which allows our teams to exist and keep costs low for students. Any support with our fundraising effort is greatly appreciated, and allows our teams to continue to grow for years to come!
        • Our students are working hard, and working up appetites! Meals or snacks for practices and competitions are greatly appreciated by the kids!

        QUICK LINKS

        OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

        Volunteer with Us

        Want to help at a practice or event? We're always looking for parents or STEM professionals to help keep our program running.

        Learn More

        Ways to Donate

        It takes a lot of funding to run our program. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so all donations are tax deductible.

        Learn More