FLL Ontario Champion Team Solvers of X & Y on the News
NewmarketToday featured Solvers of X & Y after their Ontario FIRST LEGO League Championship win, highlighting SolversMind’s student-led robotics education model and Aurora’s growing STEM community. NewmarketToday.ca
By SolversMind Robotics
Published January 31, 2025 | Updated August 07, 2026
Reviewed by SolversMind Robotics mentors
Aurora is becoming known as one of Canada’s strongest communities for youth robotics.
On January 31, 2025, journalist Bailey Moreton from NewmarketToday visited the SolversMind Robotics studio to interview members of FIRST LEGO League Team 52777 Solvers of X & Y, following their historic achievement of winning the FIRST LEGO League Ontario Provincial Championship Champion’s Award and earning the opportunity to represent Canada internationally.
The visit highlighted not only the success of one robotics team, but also the growing STEM ecosystem in Aurora, where multiple high-performing FIRST teams are developing the next generation of young innovators.
The resulting article, “Aurora the Silicon Valley of youth LEGO robot competitions,” recognized Aurora as a remarkable centre for youth robotics and featured how local teams have achieved outstanding results at provincial and international levels. NewmarketToday.ca
For SolversMind, this recognition represents something deeper than competition success.
It represents the impact of a student-led robotics education model.
What did NewmarketToday highlight about Solvers of X & Y?
NewmarketToday journalist Bailey Moreton visited SolversMind Robotics to learn more about Solvers of X & Y after their Ontario Provincial Championship victory. The article highlighted that the team had been working together for several years and was preparing for its first international competition after winning provincials on January 19, 2025. The story also featured the team’s innovation project, a biodegradable plastic sheet made from seaweed, and explained how students developed their ideas through research, testing, and engineering design. NewmarketToday.ca
The article captured an important part of SolversMind’s philosophy:
The robot is only one part of the journey.
The deeper goal is developing students who can think independently, solve problems, communicate ideas, and create meaningful solutions.
Why is Aurora becoming a youth robotics hub?
The NewmarketToday feature described Aurora as a centre of excellence for youth LEGO robotics, highlighting how local teams achieved outstanding results at the FIRST LEGO League Ontario Provincial Championships. Aurora teams earned both first and second place Champion’s Award recognition, demonstrating the strength of the local robotics community. NewmarketToday.ca
This growth is not accidental.
Aurora has become home to many passionate students, families, mentors, and educators who believe in hands-on STEM learning.
Within this environment, students are able to:
Explore engineering concepts at a young age
Participate in project-based learning
Develop programming and design skills
Build confidence through teamwork
Learn from challenges and failures
SolversMind Robotics is proud to be part of this growing ecosystem.
Our goal has always been to create opportunities where students can learn, lead, and inspire others.
How does SolversMind develop student ownership?
During the interview, Coach Dahai Zhang shared that the purpose of FIRST LEGO League goes far beyond building a competition robot.
Students learn the complete engineering process:
Research.
Design.
Prototype.
Test.
Improve.
Communicate.
The same engineering mindset applies whether students are building a LEGO robot or an industrial system.
As Coach Dahai explained, the value of robotics education comes from helping students develop the ability to approach unfamiliar challenges independently. NewmarketToday.ca
This philosophy was reflected in Solvers of X & Y’s journey.
The students did not simply receive instructions.
They researched their marine environment topic, developed their seaweed-based biodegradable plastic solution, tested ideas, and prepared their presentation themselves.
Their success came from ownership.
During the Christmas holiday, team members continued working together to improve their project and prepare for competition.
The motivation came from the students themselves.
As Coach Dahai shared with NewmarketToday, true quality comes when students are genuinely motivated by the problem they are trying to solve, rather than simply chasing awards.
What does this recognition mean for SolversMind and the future of STEM?
Having NewmarketToday visit SolversMind was a meaningful moment for our students.
They were able to share their experiences, explain their engineering process, and demonstrate how young students can achieve ambitious goals through dedication and teamwork.
For the students of Solvers of X & Y, this was another step in their FIRST journey.
Their pathway continues:
FIRST LEGO League → FIRST Tech Challenge → FIRST Robotics Competition
Each stage provides new challenges and opportunities for growth.
The success of Solvers of X & Y shows what young students can accomplish when they are trusted with ownership.
The recognition from NewmarketToday also highlights a larger message:
Aurora is not only producing successful robotics teams.
It is developing future engineers, innovators, and leaders.
SolversMind Robotics is honored to contribute to this community and continue building a culture where students inspire students.
Because the true achievement is not only winning awards.
It is creating young people who believe:
“I can solve problems.
I can create something meaningful.
I can make an impact.”
Tags:
Solvers of X & Y, SolversMind Robotics, NewmarketToday, Bailey Moreton, Aurora robotics, FIRST LEGO League, Ontario Champion, Aurora Robotics, Équipe Francoboutique