Beyond the Brick is a student-led First Lego League team from Midland, MI. Our team is made up of seven passionate students who love solving real-world problems through research, design, and collaboration. Our school serves a diverse student population, with more than 50% of students identified as economically disadvantaged. Despite limited resources and aging equipment, our school remains committed to meaningful learning that fosters curiosity, problem-solving, and student growth.

This year, our team earned 3rd Place at the FIRST LEGO League Michigan State Championship, standing out among more than 900 teams statewide. This achievement has earned us an invitation to an international FIRST LEGO League Open Invitational in Long Beach, CA—the first time an elementary team from Midland Public Schools has reached this level. We are incredibly proud of our students' perseverance, teamwork, and dedication, which have brought them this far, even in the face of challenges.

As a student-led robotics team, we serve our community by connecting learning to real-world problems and sharing that learning with others. This season, we studied challenges archaeologists face when transporting fragile artifacts. We spoke directly with archaeologists from the University of Michigan and local USPS staff to understand how professionals handle valuable and delicate items. Through these conversations, we asked questions, exchanged ideas, and learned how real problems are approached beyond the classroom. We also seek all kinds of opportunities to talk with elementary and middle school students about our robotics missions, research projects, and problem-solving process. By doing this, we hope to spark curiosity and interest in STEM, teamwork, and creative thinking among younger students in our community. Our team’s work has also been featured in the Midland Daily News (https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/central-park-robotics-long-beach-21309544.php), helping share our learning and bringing positive attention to student-led STEM efforts in our community.

We are raising funds to help cover travel and lodging expenses for our team. Without enough support, some of our students may not be able to attend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Your generosity will help ensure that every team member can participate, represent our community, and continue their STEM journey. Please help us give these hardworking students the chance to shine on a national stage and inspire future leaders in STEM! Any amount is appreciated!