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The rows of gleaming booths at SMTAI 2025, each one humming with the latest in automation, stretched across the show floor. In the center of it all, a small crowd gathered for something far more kinetic. They were watching a 6-foot robot whir to life, lift a bright dodgeball, and launch it cleanly into a hoop across the aisle. The crowd erupted in cheers as the robot’s handlers—teenagers in blue shirts emblazoned with a roaring lion logo—rushed forward to reset the shot.
Team 2704 Roaring Robotics wasn’t just demonstrating machinery; it was demonstrating possibility.
After the demonstration, team member Kate Reidenbach, a junior from St. Francis High School in Wheaton, spoke passionately about what inspired her to join Roaring Robotics.
“I really enjoy robotics and getting to create things,” Kate said. “It’s exciting to see an idea come to life, especially when you’re given parameters and a challenge you have to solve, and you get to do it with other people.”
Kate’s robotics journey began in fifth grade, when she joined FIRST LEGO League, the entry-level branch of the FIRST Robotics organization. Now serving as hardware captain for Roaring Robotics, Kate oversees all physical aspects of the robot, from wiring and CAD design to machining and final assembly.
“I’ve grown from not knowing anything about these robots to leading the team in this area,” she said. “My favorite part is helping others realize their potential. I see myself in them—where I started and where I am now—and I love helping them reach their goals.”
Like many community-based teams, Roaring Robotics operates independently, without direct financial support from a school or district. That independence fosters creativity and resilience, but it also comes with challenges.
“We’re a community team, which means we don’t have school or government funding,” Kate said. “We rely a lot on friends, family, and corporate sponsors. Fundraising to build a robot can be a challenge.”
This year’s featured robot pushed the team’s technical limits. Members designed a linear extension elevator capable of reaching seven feet high, an impressive feat that required persistence.
“The first time we built it, it was six inches too short,” Kate recalled with a laugh. “We had to disassemble it, recut the metal, and rebuild everything to make it work.”
The team also ventured into vision-assisted automation for the first time, integrating dual cameras to help the robot auto-align during competition.
“Each competition taught us something new,” she said. “At one, we had CPU crashes; at another, a cracked camera mount gave us bad readings. It was frustrating at times, but every problem helped us learn.”
Despite the long hours, technical setbacks, and budget hurdles, the Roaring Robotics team thrives on optimism and shared purpose. Their identity is rooted in the FIRST Robotics core values: gracious professionalism and cooperation.
“Gracious professionalism means acting like your grandmother is watching you on national TV,” Kate said with a smile. “Do what would make her proud.”
At a show where cutting-edge automation and AI dominated the conversation, Team 2704 reminded everyone that technology is really about curiosity, collaboration, and human potential.
“We focus on how our story can inspire others,” Kate said, “because it’s not just about building robots. It’s about using robots to build kids.”
To learn more about Team 2704 Roaring Robotics and their upcoming competitions, visit their Linktree.
