On Saturday, March 28, 2026, students from across the Capital Region gathered at Union College for an underwater robotics competition connected to the SeaPerch program. Around 30 teams participated in the event, giving students the opportunity to showcase teamwork, engineering, and problem-solving skills. Heather Heider explained that the event helps students connect with a larger robotics community while working alongside Union students during the winter term. The materials for the robots are provided through the Naval Nuclear Laboratory's outreach program, SeaPerch, which has supported the initiative since 2013. Teams follow build plans, choose robot designs, and work with mentors to assemble and troubleshoot their machines. According to Heider, the process can sometimes be frustrating when robots fail to work properly, but students enjoy learning how to solve problems and improve their designs. The underwater robots function using electric motors while the battery remains outside the pool area. Teams waterproof the robots by sealing the casing with wax. Jaleel, a seventh grader from Mont Pleasant Middle School, said his favorite part of the competition is building robots and working with a team. He has participated in the program for two years and enjoys meeting different students each year. Although the STEP team has not yet won the competition, Heider said she remains confident about the team's future success. 
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May 11, 2026
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by Sheyenne Harris
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