The sound of whirring motors and cheering crowds filled the gym in North Bay this weekend, as 26 teams from across the province gathered for the FIRST Robotics Competition.
The three-day event, held March 20 to 22 at Robert J. Surtees Athletics Centre on the campus of Nipissing University, brought together students, mentors and volunteers for a fast-paced engineering challenge that tests precision, teamwork and strategy.
The competition is run by FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — an organization focused on engaging people who are four to 18 years old in science and engineering through hands-on learning.
Teams from across Ontario prepare their robots in the pit area, working under tight timelines to troubleshoot and improve performance throughout the competition. (FIRST Robotics Canada)
Top-performing teams from the North Bay event will head to Barrie March 27, with a chance to advance to the provincial championship in Niagara Falls. That includes North Bay’s Team 1305, which is made up of about 30 members from the area.
Dave Ellis, the president of FIRST Robotics Canada, says the program gives students real-world experience that goes far beyond the classroom. Participants “design, fabricate, wire, program, test, analyze, and refine complex systems,” while learning to collaborate and solve problems under pressure.
North Bay has welcomed the competition 11 times, drawing teams from across Ontario, including Toronto, Kingston and London.
Kevin Wamsley, president and vice-chancellor of Nipissing University, says hosting the competition highlights the role young people play in shaping the future of science and technology. In a written message to participants, he described them as the next generation of scientists and engineers, combining technical skills with leadership and community involvement.
From competitor to coordinator
For Jessica Kelso, the competition is personal. She first joined the program at age 11 through LEGO robotics before moving into high school competitions like the one held in North Bay. She spent five years on the local Team 1305 and was shortlisted for the Dean’s Award in 2017, which recognizes student leadership.
“What initially drew me to robotics is just a great team atmosphere and being able to learn and grow as a student and get involved in things that I didn’t think I would be able to at that age,” she explained.
After studying at Trent University, she returned to FIRST in a professional role, something she says was a natural next step.
The field where students competed with their robots during the FIRST Robotics Competition in North Bay. (FIRST Robotics Canada)
“I was so used to being in those formal work situations, but also running events and getting sponsorships and writing applications,” she said. “Also, the technical aspects of running the field and making sure that all of our robots are good at the event. So it’s very exciting to be on the other side of it now.”
Kelso says the sense of community is what keeps people connected to the program.
“It’s like a family affair. Everyone knows everybody, and we’re all super close,” she said.
Six weeks to build, seconds to compete
Each January, teams around the world are given a new challenge and just six weeks to design, build and program a robot before competing.
The fast-paced game tests precision, teamwork and strategy at the North Bay event. (FIRST Robotics Canada)
In this year’s game, robots score points by collecting and launching game pieces into a central hub and completing other tasks across the field. The matches shift between autonomous and driver-controlled robots.
“It’s just a lot of intense hours in the build room, learning new skills, machining,” Kelso said. “And then we pack up, and then we go and represent our community at events.”
Kelso says the program’s impact goes far beyond competition results. That includes “making friends on the field and competing with other amazing students that always stand out, having that space at the competition to really showcase all of my hard work,” and “being involved in my community.”
Originally written by: Rajpreet Sahota
Source: CBC News
Published on: 24 March 2026
Link to original article: How a robotics competition in North Bay is building community, future innovators
