Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club (GGFRC)
About Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club
Contact: Aaron Stefanich aaron.stefanich@gflibrary.com
The Dakota Science Center became a FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) team sponsor in 2003. The Grand Forks Public Library became a team sponsor in 2011. The Dakota Science Center, the Grand Forks Public Library and the Heritage Village (East Grand Forks, Minnesota) have partnered to support the Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club. Teams cannot be registered without parent volunteers. The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club has 3 program components, FIRST® LEGO® League Explore (ages 6-10 / grades 2-4), FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge (ages 9-16 / grades 4-8), and the off-season club.
FLL® Explore teams meet to design a robot with LEGO® elements. Teams also document their work in an Engineering Notebook and share their journey through a team Show Me Poster.
The FLL® Challenge teams meet August-January. The University of North Dakota, College of Engineering and Mines hosts the FLL® Qualifying Tournament and the North Dakota Championship Tournament. Teams are judged on 4 things. 1) Core Values - have they learned that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping each other is the foundation of teamwork? 2) a project - teams research a real-world problem and present an innovative solution to that problem. 3) robot design – teams answer questions regarding their approach to the design. 4) field challenge - robots are designed and programmed by team members to perform a series of missions during 2½ minute matches.
The off-season robotics club program provides engineering and technology experience to youth that were not able to be on the team, and those honing their skills for next year. The club also provides leadership opportunities to team members who help teach the computer programming to younger children. A qualified professional or university student is hired to lead the off-season robotics club, which meets at the Grand Forks Public Library.
The mission of FIRST® is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club Needs Community Support
The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club is a part of the Dakota Science Center. You can contribute your time and talents or sponsor a team.
1. Contribute your time and talents as a volunteer; contact Aaron Stefanich, the Grand Forks Public Library Children’s Librarian
2. Sponsor a team. Each year the teams must register and purchase a field challenge kit. New teams must purchase the robot. Over time new robots and accessories need to be purchased to replace old technology. Mail your check to the Dakota Science Center, PO Box 5023, Grand Forks, ND 58206. Donate Online: Bremer Bank Autobooks Link https://app.autobooks.co/pay/dakota-science-center
The Robotics team's project is to build a competitive robot for the competition season in basically a six-week building time frame. This robot can weigh up to 150 lbs and the design depends on the students. We will have several sub-teams of students including: the Build team, the Drive team, Spirit team, Business team, Awards team, and the Scouting and Strategy team. Talented students can be on more than one sub-team. Sub teams will be mentored by adult mentors with talents in those areas. The real purpose of this project is to promote technology, engineering, science and math careers and building the robot is the vehicle by which we challenge and interest the students.
Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team "brand," hone teamwork skills, build and program an industrial-size robot to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team. Each season ends with an exciting tournament.
Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club Sponsors 2004-Present
AE2S® Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services Inc.
Argosy Foundation
Alerus Financial
American Crystal Sugar
American Legion, East Grand Forks, MN
American Legion, Thompson, ND
Avidxchange Inc.
Bremer Bank
Butler Machinery
Construction Engineers Inc.
Dakota Science Center
Eagles Club, East Grand Forks, MN
Frandsen Bank & Trust
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
Grand Forks City
Grand Forks County Farm Bureau
Grand Forks Lions Club
Grand Forks Public Library
Grand Forks Rotary Club
Heritage Village
Ideal Aerosmith, Inc
Kadmas, Lee & Jackson Inc.
KLJ Solutions Holding Company
Laser Systems Inc.
Midcontinent Media
Moore Engineering, Inc.
Networking Specialist, Inc.
North Dakota Space Grant Consortium
Northland Community & Technical College
Obermiller Nelson Engineering
Opp Construction
PS Doors
Skosh Interactive LLC
Steffes Solutions LLC
Ulteig Engineers Inc.
United Valley Bank
University of North Dakota School of Engineering and Mines
Verizon Foundation
VFW Post 3817, East Grand Forks, MN
Webster Foster & Weston Consulting Engineers
Widseth Smith Nolting
High School Robotics Grand Force team 8188 Sponsors 2024-Present
AE2S Advanced Engineering
Argosy Foundation
Alerus Financial
American Crystal
Butler Machinery
John Deere
Scheels
About Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club
Contact: Aaron Stefanich aaron.stefanich@gflibrary.com
The Dakota Science Center became a FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) team sponsor in 2003. The Grand Forks Public Library became a team sponsor in 2011. The Dakota Science Center, the Grand Forks Public Library and the Heritage Village (East Grand Forks, Minnesota) have partnered to support the Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club. Teams cannot be registered without parent volunteers. The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club has 3 program components, FIRST® LEGO® League Explore (ages 6-10 / grades 2-4), FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge (ages 9-16 / grades 4-8), and the off-season club.
FLL® Explore teams meet to design a robot with LEGO® elements. Teams also document their work in an Engineering Notebook and share their journey through a team Show Me Poster.
The FLL® Challenge teams meet August-January. The University of North Dakota, College of Engineering and Mines hosts the FLL® Qualifying Tournament and the North Dakota Championship Tournament. Teams are judged on 4 things. 1) Core Values - have they learned that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping each other is the foundation of teamwork? 2) a project - teams research a real-world problem and present an innovative solution to that problem. 3) robot design – teams answer questions regarding their approach to the design. 4) field challenge - robots are designed and programmed by team members to perform a series of missions during 2½ minute matches.
The off-season robotics club program provides engineering and technology experience to youth that were not able to be on the team, and those honing their skills for next year. The club also provides leadership opportunities to team members who help teach the computer programming to younger children. A qualified professional or university student is hired to lead the off-season robotics club, which meets at the Grand Forks Public Library.
The mission of FIRST® is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club Needs Community Support
The Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club is a part of the Dakota Science Center. You can contribute your time and talents or sponsor a team.
1. Contribute your time and talents as a volunteer; contact Aaron Stefanich, the Grand Forks Public Library Children’s Librarian
2. Sponsor a team. Each year the teams must register and purchase a field challenge kit. New teams must purchase the robot. Over time new robots and accessories need to be purchased to replace old technology. Mail your check to the Dakota Science Center, PO Box 5023, Grand Forks, ND 58206. Donate Online: Bremer Bank Autobooks Link https://app.autobooks.co/pay/dakota-science-center
FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC) High School level
To join the team, visit the website at grandforcs8188.org.
Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. We call FIRST® Robotics Competition the ultimate Sport for the Mind. High-school student participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.” The program is open to students grades 8-12, age approximately 13-18 years old in the Grand Forks and surrounding area. The cost to join the Grand Force Team #8118 is FREE.To join the team, visit the website at grandforcs8188.org.
The Robotics team's project is to build a competitive robot for the competition season in basically a six-week building time frame. This robot can weigh up to 150 lbs and the design depends on the students. We will have several sub-teams of students including: the Build team, the Drive team, Spirit team, Business team, Awards team, and the Scouting and Strategy team. Talented students can be on more than one sub-team. Sub teams will be mentored by adult mentors with talents in those areas. The real purpose of this project is to promote technology, engineering, science and math careers and building the robot is the vehicle by which we challenge and interest the students.
Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team "brand," hone teamwork skills, build and program an industrial-size robot to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team. Each season ends with an exciting tournament.
Greater Grand Forks Robotics Club Sponsors 2004-Present
AE2S® Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services Inc.
Argosy Foundation
Alerus Financial
American Crystal Sugar
American Legion, East Grand Forks, MN
American Legion, Thompson, ND
Avidxchange Inc.
Bremer Bank
Butler Machinery
Construction Engineers Inc.
Dakota Science Center
Eagles Club, East Grand Forks, MN
Frandsen Bank & Trust
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
Grand Forks City
Grand Forks County Farm Bureau
Grand Forks Lions Club
Grand Forks Public Library
Grand Forks Rotary Club
Heritage Village
Ideal Aerosmith, Inc
Kadmas, Lee & Jackson Inc.
KLJ Solutions Holding Company
Laser Systems Inc.
Midcontinent Media
Moore Engineering, Inc.
Networking Specialist, Inc.
North Dakota Space Grant Consortium
Northland Community & Technical College
Obermiller Nelson Engineering
Opp Construction
PS Doors
Skosh Interactive LLC
Steffes Solutions LLC
Ulteig Engineers Inc.
United Valley Bank
University of North Dakota School of Engineering and Mines
Verizon Foundation
VFW Post 3817, East Grand Forks, MN
Webster Foster & Weston Consulting Engineers
Widseth Smith Nolting
High School Robotics Grand Force team 8188 Sponsors 2024-Present
AE2S Advanced Engineering
Argosy Foundation
Alerus Financial
American Crystal
Butler Machinery
John Deere
Scheels