BadgerBots Robotics Students Lead Advocacy Effort at the Wisconsin State Capitol

Trading safety glasses and an engineering notebook for professional attire and briefing packets, BadgerBots robotics students stepped onto the floor of the Wisconsin State Capitol on Thursday, February 12, 2026. Alongside more than 300 robotics students from across the state, they participated in Advocacy Day, an energizing and inspiring show of support for STEAM education. Our students were at the forefront of the conversation, proving that leadership is built not only in workshops and labs but also in the halls of government.

BadgerBots is committed to building more than robots. We are building leaders, innovators, and confident young people ready to shape their communities. Advocacy Day gave our students the opportunity to demonstrate exactly that.

Our in-house FIRST® Robotics Competition Team 1306 coordinated and led meetings

with six legislators representing the Madison and Middleton area, including Senators Marklein and Hesselbein and Representatives Joers, Jacobson, Bare, and Subeck. Our FIRST® Tech Challenge team Attack Hamsterz also joined in the conversations and helped represent the student voice. Team 1306 demonstrated their robot for this year’s competition, giving legislators a firsthand look at the creativity, engineering, and teamwork that drive their work. Together, the students clearly articulated why expanding access to STEAM education matters.

They also invited legislators to attend upcoming competitions, tournaments, and team practice nights at BadgerBots to see firsthand the impact of robotics programs in our community. Advocacy continues in workshops, classrooms, and competition fields beyond the Capitol steps.

This year, our focus was clear: expanding eligibility for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) state robotics grant from grades 6–12 to kindergarten through 12th grade. By broadening access to include elementary students, Wisconsin can create a true K–12 STEAM pathway. Early exposure to robotics and coding sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and helps students envision futures in engineering, technology, and innovation.

Expanding the grant would also increase access for rural districts, low-income communities, and schools without strong local industry partners. Lowering the age requirement strengthens equity and ensures more students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on STEAM learning.

BadgerBots leadership and staff, including board member Shikha Arora-Gupta and

FIRST® LEGO® League and Outreach Coordinator Emily Luffey, along with student families, were proud to stand alongside our students throughout the day, demonstrating the strong community support behind our programs. From elementary robotics teams to high school competitors, our students grow within a system designed to support them every step of the way.

Watching Team 1306 confidently lead discussions with elected officials was a powerful reminder of what is possible when young people are trusted with responsibility. They were professional, prepared, and passionate advocates not only for themselves but for students across Wisconsin.

We also want to recognize Emma Schuff, FIRST Senior Mentor, for organizing Advocacy Day, with support from FIRST Wisconsin, which provided students with this incredible opportunity to make their voices heard.

We are incredibly proud of how our students represented BadgerBots and our community.

If you believe in expanding access to hands-on STEAM education, we invite you to join us. Whether as a volunteer mentor, supporter, or community partner, you can help strengthen the K–12 robotics pathway right here in Middleton and expand opportunities for the next generation of innovators.

Together, we are not just building robots.

We are building the future.