OctoMaster Appears at NRG Hacks 2025 at Aurora Public Library

FRC Team 10015 Bubbles Captain Ryan Zhang demonstrates the OctoMaster robot at NRG Hacks 2025 at Aurora Public Library.

FRC Team 10015 Bubbles showcased OctoMaster and the FIRST Robotics Competition at NRG Hacks 2025 in Aurora, inspiring high school students across York Region through student-built robotics (NRG Hacks).

By SolversMind Robotics
Published February 18, 2025 | Updated August 2026
Reviewed by SolversMind Robotics mentors

Robotics is not only built for competitions.

It is built to inspire the next generation of creators.

On February 18, 2025, FRC Team 10015 Bubbles brought its award-winning robot OctoMaster and the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) experience to the NRG Hacks 2025 Hackathon at Aurora Public Library, connecting with hundreds of high school students from across York Region.

Led by Team Captain Ryan Zhang, Bubbles showcased its rookie-season FRC robot, explained the engineering behind the design, and introduced students to the opportunities available through FIRST Robotics.

The event created a unique connection between two worlds:

Hackathon innovation.

Hands-on robotics engineering.

Many students attending NRG Hacks were passionate about computer science, programming, and technology. Seeing a real FRC robot designed and built by high school students provided them with a new perspective on what STEM students can accomplish.

Co-captain Queena Lin Explains FRC and the robot to a high school student.

What is NRG Hacks and why did SolversMind participate?

NRG Hacks is a high school hackathon designed to introduce students to technology, programming, and real-world problem solving. The 2025 event was held at Aurora Public Library and welcomed high school students from York Region to collaborate, build projects, attend workshops, and explore computer science and engineering opportunities. Aurora Public Library

The event was organized by students from Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School, creating a student-led environment where young innovators could learn from each other. LinkedIn

SolversMind chose to participate because the values of NRG Hacks strongly aligned with FIRST:

  • Encouraging students to create solutions

  • Promoting hands-on learning

  • Building confidence through technology

  • Connecting students with STEM opportunities

While hackathons focus heavily on software and digital innovation, FRC demonstrates how software connects with the physical world.

A robot is where:

  • Programming meets mechanics

  • Design meets engineering

  • Ideas become real systems

This made OctoMaster the perfect bridge between robotics and computer science.

How did students react to the FRC robot demonstration?

The response from students was extremely positive.

OctoMaster quickly became one of the most popular demonstrations at the event.

Many students were surprised that a group of high school students could design and build such an advanced competition robot.

Visitors were especially interested in:

  • The bio-inspired SpiRob soft robotic arm

  • The mechanical design process

  • Robot programming

  • Sensors and autonomous systems

  • The FIRST Robotics Competition pathway

Ryan Zhang shared the story behind Bubbles’ rookie season, explaining how students designed, built, tested, and improved their robot throughout the season.

The most common reaction from students was curiosity:

“How can high school students build this?”

That question represents the true purpose of outreach.

The goal was not only to show a robot.

The goal was to show students what they are capable of creating.

Why was this event meaningful for FRC Team 10015 Bubbles?

NRG Hacks took place only weeks after Bubbles completed its first FRC build season.

At that point, the team had already experienced the challenge and excitement of building a competition robot from scratch.

The students were able to share a real engineering journey:

  • Starting with an unknown challenge

  • Researching possible solutions

  • Designing mechanisms

  • Programming systems

  • Testing and improving through failure

This was different from a traditional demonstration where students only show a finished product.

Bubbles showed the process.

That process is the heart of FIRST.

Through FIRST Robotics, students learn that engineering is not about having the perfect answer immediately.

It is about learning how to solve difficult problems.

High school students attending NRG Hacks are interested in the FRC program

Building the next generation of STEM leaders in York Region

Events like NRG Hacks demonstrate the strength of the York Region STEM community.

Students from different schools came together to explore technology, innovation, and problem-solving.

By bringing FRC robotics into this environment, SolversMind helped introduce more students to FIRST programs and the possibilities of student-led engineering.

For many attendees, this was their first exposure to FRC.

They saw that robotics is not only about competitions.

It is about:

  • Creativity

  • Collaboration

  • Leadership

  • Real-world engineering

At SolversMind, we believe the best way to inspire students is by showing them what students themselves can achieve.

When a high school student sees another student designing a complex robot, the message becomes much more powerful:

“Maybe I can build something like this too.”

That is the impact of FIRST.

That is why SolversMind continues to share our journey with the community.

Because every robot we build is also an opportunity to inspire another student.

Tags:
FRC Team 10015 Bubbles, SolversMind Robotics, Ryan Zhang, NRG Hacks, Aurora Public Library, G.W. Williams Secondary School, FIRST Robotics Canada, FRC, STEM outreach, York Region robotics, OctoMaster

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