History and Awards
Team 1816, The Green Machine, is the longest-sustaining FIRST Robotics team in Minnesota. The Team was established in the fall of 2005 by a group of Edina students aided by a seed grant from NASA.
Our History of Advocacy
Advocacy & Representation: Team 1816 students presented before the Minnesota Congressional delegation through the FIRST National Advocacy Conference.
White House Outreach: Raised awareness of the FIRST program with White House officials, including the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Secretary of Education.
ESSA Legislation: Successfully added language supporting after-school mentored STEM activities to Title IV, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Perkins Act Reauthorization: Secured language in the 2019 reauthorization of the Perkins Career and Technical Act to provide students with technical training and workforce skills.
Minnesota STEM Advocacy Conference: Launched in 2016 to host speakers and train teams on how to engage with local elected officials.
State Capitol Rotunda Showcases: Filled the Minnesota State Capitol annually with robots representing all levels of FIRST.
Statewide Robotics Facilities: Secured a $100,000 DEED grant in 2019 to launch five competitive robotics facilities across Minnesota.
Varsity Recognition: Helped establish the Minnesota State High School Robotics Tournament, and contributed to making robotics an official varsity lettering activity.
2019 Chairman’s Award
In 2019, at the Detroit, MI, World Competition, we were awarded the Championship Chairman’s Award, now known as the FIRST Impact Award. It is the most prestigious award that can be earned in the FIRST Robotics Competition.
The award is given to recognize the team that best models the FIRST mission by impacting their community and beyond. And with this honor, we have permanently joined the FIRST Hall of Fame.
Awards
2026
FIRST Championship - Houston, Galileo Division
Minnesota Granite City Regional
Excellence in Engineering Award sponsored by Littelfuse
2025
FIRST Championship - Houston, Milstein Division
Minnesota North Star Regional
Team Sustainability Award sponsored by Dow
Northern Lights Regional
Team Sustainability Award sponsored by Dow
2024
FIRST Championship - Houston, Johnson Division
Minnesota Granite City Regional
Regional Finalists, Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
Lake Superior Regional
Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors
2023
FIRST Championship - Houston, Newton Division
Minnesota 10,000 Lakes Regional presented by Medtronic
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (Rachel Margolis)
Lake Superior Regional
Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
2022
FIRST Championship - Houston, Galileo Division
Minnesota State High School League Championship
State Champion
Minnesota North Star Regional
Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
Northern Lights Regional
Regional Finalists, Entrepreneurship Award
2021
INFINITE RECHARGE At Home Challenge - Gallium Group
Quality Award, Skills Competition Winner
Upper Midwest Region Awards Event
FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award (Ian McVann-Henkelmann)
2020
Lake Superior Regional
Regional Winners, Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers
2019
FIRST Championship - Detroit
Chairman's Award
FIRST Championship - Detroit, Carson Subdivision
Championship Subdivision Finalist
Minnesota North Star Regional
Regional Winners, Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers
Lake Superior Regional
Regional Chairman's Award, Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (Alyson Purdy)
2018
FIRST Championship - Detroit
Chairman's Award Finalist
Medtronic Foundation Regional
Regional Chairman's Award
Lake Superior Regional
FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award (Morgan Sheehy), Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers
2017
FIRST Championship - St. Louis, Carson Division
Minnesota 10000 Lakes Regional
Engineering Inspiration Award, Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (Laurie Shimizu), Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories
Lake Superior Regional
Regional Chairman's Award, Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories
2016
Lake Superior Regional
Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers
Iowa Regional
FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award (Allison Schwobada), FIRST Dean's List Finalist Award (Brandon Schenck), Gracious Professionalism Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson
2015
FIRST Championship - St. Louis, Curie Division
Woodie Flowers Award (Mark Lawrence)
Lake Superior Regional
Regional Engineering Inspiration Award
Minnesota 10000 Lakes Regional
Regional Chairman's Award, Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers
2014
FIRST Championship - St. Louis, Archimedes Division
Lake Superior Regional
Regional Chairman's Award, Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories
Minnesota North Star Regional
Regional Finalist, Gracious Professionalism Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson
2013
FIRST Championship - St. Louis, Curie Division
Minnesota North Star Regional
Engineering Inspiration Award, Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Industrial Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories
Lake Superior Regional
Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation
2012
FIRST Championship - St. Louis, Archimedes Division
Minnesota North Star Regional
Regional Chairman's Award, Regional Finalists, Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Website Award
Lake Superior Regional
Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers
2011
FIRST Championship - St. Louis, Galileo Division
Minnesota North Star Regional
Website Award
Lake Superior Regional
Engineering Inspiration Award, FIRST Deans List Finalist Award (Emily Benson), FIRST Deans List Finalist Award, Industrial Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories, Website Award
2010
FIRST Championship - Atlanta, Galileo Division
Minnesota North Star Regional
Gracious Professionalism Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, Website Award, Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award (Laurie Shimizu)
2009
Minnesota North Star Regional
Regional Finalist, Autodesk Visualization Award, Website Award
Wisconsin Regional
Website Award
2008
FIRST Championship - Atlanta, Galileo Division
Minnesota Regional
Regional Chairman's Award
2007
FIRST Championship - Atlanta, Newton Division
Newton - Division Finalist
Wisconsin Regional
DaimlerChrysler Team Spirit Award
2006
FIRST Championship - Atlanta, Archimedes Division
Highest Rookie Seed
Wisconsin Regional
Regional Winner