Every year, the Newton North math department runs a puzzle day where people could come and solve various puzzles. At this year’s event on March 7th, we attended and ran a booth as well as participating. It was great to be there as we had not attended in 3 years.

A member diligently solving the puzzles

At the event, there was a packet filled with puzzles for people to solve, such as a poem with extra letters and a scrambled website link. We formed a LigerBots team where we worked together and were eventually able to solve 5 of the 7 puzzles.

A student plays catch with the Outreach Robot

We also brought our outreach robot for event attendees to play catch. The younger folks at the event had a fun time playing with their mechanical friend!

The panel giving a speech about computer and data science careers

In addition to puzzles, there was also a panel of professional computer scientists who talked about their careers and the current issues facing the field. The event ended with a gift card raffle giveaway where two LigerBots members won rewards!

Group photo of the LigerBots staff

This was a very fun event and we look forward to many more events this spring. For now, stay tuned for the North Shore Competition on March 14-15 where we will officially begin the 2026 competition season!

 

This is where it all starts! A rite of passage for many LigerBots members is first attending a STEAM fair as an elementary schooler. The Burr STEAM Fair is one of these such events. Attendees made bracelets and skeleton hands, and also engaged with the robot!

 

The LigerBots were victorious in the Week Zero competition with more than 25 members attending the joyous event. Read more to see what students thought, with a special feature from Coach Igor. 🎉

The LigerBots team celebrating their win at Week Zero!

How do the Ligers think we did? 🤔

Student Hannah states that the competition was a 85/100 and “it went surprisingly better than expected”. She says if they were to improve one thing it would be for the robot to not break.

 Student Liam states that the competition was an 80/100 and it went “solid”. He says if they were to improve one thing it would be to have more access to bolt holes since the hopper plates were in the way. 

Student Morgan states that the competition was 85/100 and it was “surprising”. Going into the competition Morgan had low hopes. But as the competition progresses her spirits elevated. She says if they were to improve one thing it would be not to break the intake. 

Coach Igor states that the competition was a 75/100 and “it was fun. It’s week zero!”. He says if they were to improve one thing it would be to improve the mechanical issues in the climber, intake and a couple small tidbits of tweaks. Most mechanical issues have already been resolved shortly after Week Zero. He also notes that the team did a great job in this competition!

Coaches working with a student reviewing for the match.

We had some great stats at Week Zero. The LigerBots final rank was 6th, way to go! Our average ranking score was 111.50. Our alliance partners were Team 6328, Mechanical Advantage from Littleton, and Team 2342, Team Phoenix. Our Record was 7-3-0. Our spirits were: High!

Hermes in action on the field!

The Fun Part: 🥳

Poem: 📔✍️📚

The week does not exist,

Yet we are all watching.

As the score ticks up,

Yellow balls fly past,

Human Players bringing their aim,

Drivers steering the bot towards victory.

Collet and shoot,

Oh what a hoot.

Top alliance,

Climbing high,

Don’t forget to touch the sky.
Ligerbots,

Here or there,

Ligerbots will always care. 

Reminder to Ligers: Do your homework! #stayinschool 

My name is Oliver! I first came to LigerBots because I enjoy engineering and working on projects that have a real goal. I have always liked building things and figuring out how they work, but I wanted something more than just a random project at home. I wanted to be part of something bigger, a team where everyone contributes and where the work actually leads to something real: a functioning robot.

One of the biggest reasons I like being on LigerBots is that it’s not just one person doing everything. Everyone has a role, and when each person does their part, the whole project succeeds. That’s what makes it feel meaningful. You can tell that what you do matters, because even a small change can impact how the robot performs.

My Role: Programming

I focus on programming. This means that I help design, test, and improve code that directly impacts how the robot moves and behaves during matches. Programming can be frustrating sometimes, especially when something doesn’t work and you can’t figure out why. But, also what makes it fun, you have to think, test, change one thing at a time, and keep going until it works.

It’s a really good feeling when you finally get something right and the robot starts doing what you intended. It’s like seeing your ideas come to life, but through code instead of just parts and tools.

Building and Testing New Ideas

Another reason I enjoy LigerBots is that I like building things and experimenting. Robotics is perfect for that because it encourages you to try new ideas, even if they don’t work the first time. Some of the best progress happens after something fails. You learn what went wrong, fix it, and make it better.

Even when something doesn’t work, it’s still progress because you understand the problem more than you did before. That’s something I’ve definitely learned from being on the team: failing isn’t the end, it’s just part of getting closer to a solution.

The People Make It Better

One of the best parts of LigerBots is the connections I’ve made, especially through programming. Working alongside other people who know more than you can be intimidating at first, but it ends up being super helpful. I’ve learned a lot just by asking questions, watching how others solve problems, and getting advice when I’m stuck.

It feels like everyone is working toward the same goal, and people actually want you to improve. That environment makes it easier to stay motivated, even when the code refuses to cooperate.

Getting Into CAD

Recently, I’ve also been getting into CAD, and it’s honestly really fun. Designing parts that might actually get built is a different kind of satisfaction. It’s one thing to imagine a mechanism in your head, but it’s another thing to create it digitally and realize, “Wait… this could actually work.”

CAD feels like a mix of creativity and logic – you get to design something cool, but you also have to make sure it’s realistic and functional. I’m still learning, but it’s exciting to explore another part of engineering and understand the design side of robotics more.

Why It Matters to Me

Overall, being on LigerBots has taught me how to collaborate, solve problems, and take responsibility for my role on a team. It’s helped me grow not just as a programmer, but as someone who enjoys engineering and wants to keep improving.

The most rewarding part is seeing everything come together. When the robot is finally working – after all the testing, fixing, debugging, and rebuilding, it feels amazing. It makes all the effort worth it because you can point to the result and say, “We built that.”

And that’s why I’m here.

 

 

 

Our preseason part of the year spans from the summer through December. While our hours are reduced, much work happens to grow the team, especially in Outreach events and team building.

To start, over the summer, LigerBots teens participated in an eight week LigerBots Adaptive Engineering Internship program at Newton North. The projects included a set of foldable light-up display panels, a device to alert blind individuals of high obstacles, and a suction device to conform to and pick up objects.

 Students work on their project

In September, us and fourteen other teams participated in Nor’Easter at Melrose High School. We used our 2025 Reefscape robot and finished third overall.

 Nor’Easter competition play in action

NE RoboCon 2025, organized by us, was held in Cambridge and brought FRC teams together for robotics talks and hands-on challenges like a LEGO catapult, where the LigerBots shined. The event also featured a trebuchet demo, engaging presentations such as FRC Team 2079’s programming session, and announcements of upcoming FLL competitions in November.      

 Fun Trebuchet Demo

At RoboBoston 2025, we showcased our outreach and competition robots, led STEAM activities like origami, and engaged families with interactive demonstrations. We also connected with tech companies, celebrated the community’s enthusiasm for science and robotics, and even met Boston Mayor Michelle Wu!

 LigerBots march through the streets of Boston, with their robot

At Newtonville Village Day 2025, we hosted a booth with activities like binary bead bracelets and robot demonstrations, engaging over 40 kids and many families. The event highlighted our mission of community outreach, sparking enthusiasm for robotics while building connections with visitors.

 Attendees engage with our outreach robot

At the GreenEXPO during Newton’s Harvest Fair 2025, we engaged families with activities like Binary Beads and showcased their Outreach Robot launching tennis balls. The event drew over 1,000 attendees and highlighted our team’s impact on inspiring young minds in the community.

 Attendees (again) engage with our outreach robot

At RiverRage 28, we competed with our robot Hydra, winning several matches and gaining valuable drive team experience. The off-season event also gave new members hands-on practice in the pits.

 Competition play at RiverRage, our robot pictured in the center

At Newton’s annual Pumpkin Smash 2025, we used a battering-ram-style machine to smash donated pumpkins from the Newton community, which were then composted. The event drew hundreds of community members, featured STEAM activities for kids, and promoted upcoming FLL competitions.

 Wide shot of Pumpkin Smash

On November 10, 2025, we hosted our third FLL scrimmage at Newton North, giving five teams practice ahead of the November 22 qualifier. The event boosted teamwork, strategy, and fun, with participants showing clear improvement and enthusiasm throughout.

 Teams set up for their scrimmages

On November 22, 2025, we hosted our annual FLL Qualifier at Newton North High School, welcoming 25 teams to compete in archaeology-themed robot missions. The event featured matches, pit displays, origami activities, and an award ceremony, with eight teams advancing while all participants gained STEAM skills and celebrated gracious professionalism.

 Teams anxiously watch their robots at the Qualifier

The team had a great preseason. Ahead, we start our build season, with more hours and more meetings. It’s a long road ahead, but the journey is often more fun than the destination. (But of course we’d really like it if we went to FRC Worlds in Houston.)

Coming up after the holiday break is Kickoff, where the game for the robot to compete in is revealed, and the team will attend more outreach events which are great opportunities to make local community connections. It’s been great, and thank you for coming with us into 2026.