Over the long weekend, the growingSTEMS students and volunteers represented the organization at the 79th annual St. Mary’s County Fair. The goal of this exciting outreach event was to introduce people in the county to robotics and the growingSTEMs programs. Participants in the growingSTEMS programs learn new skills and expand their knowledge in STEM-oriented fields. These skills such as teamwork, intellect, and perseverance, are imperative for a successful robotics program. All of the students on the team were excited to show their abilities that they learned during meetings and competitions.
The RoboBees, the flagship FIRST Robotics Competition team under growingSTEMS, showcased many of their outreach robot’s capabilities through hands-on demonstrations. Bumble, which is able to intake and shoot small foam balls, was constantly underway and well-loved by many kids and kids-at-heard. The team also had their 2026 FRC competition robot, Phalanx, on display. Phalanx, the winner of the 2026 FRC District Championship, had many interesting mechanisms which the high school students were eager to show off and explain.
Representatives of the ten VEX IQ programs under the growingSTEMS banner were also on hand to explain the challenge involved in this year’s competition. They had a small field setup at the fair and visitors to the growingSTEMS display were able to drive some of their demo robots!
Team Honey Cracked, the travel combat robotics team of growingSTEMS hosted a competition at the fair to showcase the exciting world of combat robotics! The 2nd annual Barnyard Buzz Brawl drew participants from across the local area and from many different teams. They all converged on the fair, bringing their 3d printed robots to duel each other in a large clear cage. Each thrilling match, which took place all Saturday, drew an audience of around twenty people who watched as they brawled, eager to see which robot came out intact.
Overall, 16 plastic PLAntweight bots and 12 beetle-weight robots tested their luck in the arena. In the end, only three trophies per weight class were awarded. Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Barnyard Buzz Brawl!
| 1 lb. Plant | 3 lb. Beetle |
|---|---|
| 1st – Akuuu!!! | 1st – IMPAKT |
| 2nd – Volti | 2nd – K9 |
| 3rd – Crashout | 3rd – Lifeline |
When asked about the success of the combat robotics competition, Zoe Lambert, the combat robotics coordinator, noted that “Team Honey Cracked is happy to be able to provide back to the amazing combat robotics community by hosting events like these for local builders.”
Despite the rain, it was a spectacular event. Much thanks to the growingSTEMS volunteers for ensuring it ran smoothly and to the fair for being such accommodating hosts! The fair has been a crucial opportunity for growingSTEMS to showcase its impact on the community since the very beginning. We look forward to returning larger and better than ever next year at the 80th annual St. Mary’s County Fair!