On Thursday, April 24, 2025, our school, Holy Name of Mary College School, hosted our annual Spring Cafe Concert, and Ursula was at the front and centre! She performed during the opening act, collecting phones from our drama class, playing unhappy campers while the choir sang. We provided a memorial opening to the concert, which was well-received by the audience. 

Our team also hosted an informative concession stand at our Spring Cafe concert to help spread awareness about our team and all the accomplishments we’ve achieved throughout the season. We handed out flyers and displayed posters with key information about our all-girls’  Robotics FRC Team 7659. Since 2019, our team has expanded to over 50 members in the 2025 season, representing over 40% of the high school. Our posters highlighted how we integrate FIRST into our school’s curriculum by using robotics to demonstrate real-world applications of classroom concepts. We also shared how students are given opportunities to lead and participate in outreach events, both within HNMCS and in the broader community. It was a great opportunity to showcase who we are and everything we’ve accomplished. 

On team 7659, we heavily value the arts and work to integrate them into our team and school community. We understand that the arts inspire creativity, empathy, and expression, allowing us to enrich our lives and the lives of those around us. This is why we have our robot participate in the school’s concerts every year: to give students a chance to integrate arts and science in a meaningful, tangible way. Not only do we provide students in the robotics team with this opportunity, but we also encourage the broader student body. The robot in the Spring Cafe was worked on by the ICS3U computer science class. By integrating FIRST into the curriculum, we can foster hands-on learning, technical growth, and creative problem solving. Students can apply classroom knowledge in real-life scenarios.   

Our students use the software development tool Visual Studio Code, or VS Code for short. VS Code is a powerful and flexible software that is used in professional settings, while still being easy enough for students to learn to code from the bottom up. While VS Code supports a number of different programming languages, our robot is coded in Java. To assist with the coding process, programming aids, such as WPILib, are helpful. WPILib is the standard robotics software library for FIRST teams, it is a library providing essential classes and utilities needed when interacting with robot hardware.  

Simona, Admin Lead
Zoe and Racquel 7659 members

On April 28, 2025, Holy Name of Mary College School hosted visitors from the Felician Services Board and Our Lead of Hope Province Council to showcase some of the schools signature programmes. One of the programs included our very own senior school’s robotics team, HNMCS 7659 Robotics. We held a presentation highlighting our team’s core values, annual events like Engineering Career Night, the mission of FIRST, this year’s FRC game – REEFSCAPE, and  our achievements throughout the year (both on and off the field). Additionally, they had the opportunity to watch a live demonstration of our 2025 robot, Ursula in action. Over 30 people attended our presentation. Towards the end, they became quite fond of Ursula and were quite impressed with her capabilities. Thank you to everyone who attended and we hope to see you in the near future. 

Preyanka
7659 Members

Here is a little bit from our Grade 12s of the team, our soon to be alumnis! 

“This week I had my last FIRST Robotics competition as a student. It was great to have my final event of four years on the team at the Ontario Provincials Championship. Provincials was the best way to end it! Shoutout to the team members and mentors, especially Dr. Kozma. I can’t wait to come back as an alumni to the team for the upcoming seasons!” – Jona, Business Lead

“I originally joined robotics for the cool team sweaters, but I stayed for the people, the energy, and the unforgettable experiences. Finishing off my time as a student at the Ontario Provincial Championship was the perfect way to end this chapter, and so lucky to have Dr. Kozma as our mentor! I’m excited to return as an alumni and keep supporting this amazing team in the seasons ahead!” – Megan, Communications Lead 

“It’s hard to believe that this is my last year on the robotics team. From late-night builds and last-minute fixes to the rush of competition, every moment has shaped who I am. In my first year, our robot didn’t even pass inspection, but honestly, that failure taught me more than any win ever could. Robotics taught me to lead, to collaborate, to fail forward, and, most importantly, to believe in what a dedicated team can accomplish. This year, qualifying for the Ontario Provincial Championship felt like the culmination of everything our team has worked for. Every challenge, every breakthrough, every teammate, and every mentor helped make this possible. I’m so proud of how far this team has come. Although my time as a student has ended, I cannot wait to become a mentor and help this team reach even higher!” – Maya, Team Captain

To these grade 12s: Thank you for believing in and growing with HNMCS Robotics. You are leaving your mark on the team in many ways and I am excited for each of your futures. – Dr. Kozma, Lead Mentor

On Saturday March 29, HNMCS Robotics embarked on a journey to McMaster University for the ONT District Event. On the first day of the competition, our scouting team worked tirelessly to scout the other teams and come up with ways to strategize our play. Our presentation team also had a great impact presentation. A big thank you to our mentors Kasthuri and Rebecca for helping us prepare!

On the final day of competition, we ranked tenth and proudly became the Alliance 7 captain! Along with teams 6110 and 7475, our team advanced to the third round of playoffs. 

Between competitions, an auto was added to Ursula, our 2025 competitive bot. The deep cage hang was also redesigned to improve efficiency: passive guides kept the cage vertical thereby increasing the lift; flex was reduced with custom gearbox mounts; and the gear ratio was increased by a factor of 3. With these changes, Ursula dominated the hang and had the highest end game average.

We’re excited to announce that our team qualified for provincials and is ready to give our all this week!

Nemine, Majella, Seana
7659 Members

The Centennial College event was an exciting milestone for Team 7659. We came in prepared, knowing this competition would challenge us to push our robot and teamwork to the next level. Throughout the event, our robot performed consistently, thanks to our drive team’s skill and our pit crew’s quick adjustments. We were honored to be the first pick of Alliance 8, a moment that reflected the dedication of our scouts and strategists who worked tirelessly to find the best partners for a strong playoff run.

During the playoffs, we put up a strong fight alongside our alliance partners. Each match tested our adaptability and teamwork, and while we were eliminated before the finals, we held our own against some of the top-seeded alliances. Our resilience, quick decision-making, and ability to adjust under pressure proved that we are a force to be reckoned with on the field.

We were thrilled to receive the Team Sustainability Award. This recognition highlights our ongoing commitment to outreach, mentorship, and making STEM accessible to all. From our initiatives promoting inclusivity in STEM to resource-sharing efforts that support other teams, sustainability is at the heart of what we do. This award reaffirms our mission to create lasting impact both on and off the field.

Another highlight of the event was our strong submission for the Impact Award. While we came up just short of taking it home this time, the experience reinforced our dedication to making a difference. Our outreach programs, mentorship initiatives, and advocacy for STEM accessibility continue to grow, and we are more determined than ever to refine our presentation and make an even greater impact at future competitions.

With valuable lessons from this event, we’re heading back to refine our robot, strengthen our strategies, and come back even stronger. We’re excited for the next challenge—see you at the McMaster event!

Holly
7659 Member

The Technical Tuesdays have finally started with a wonderful bang into the 2025 Robotics planning season. These girls have been working hard to create the prototypes for our new robot and understand the 2025 First Robotics Competition Reefscape games held in March. As the sessions progressed, the girls analyzed the videos sent by First Robotics Competition, discussing possible strategic ideas and sketching prototypes to understand the game and critically think of how they will make the best impact when participating in them. Special thanks to Dr. Kozma and Ms. Rebecca for lending their time to help guide these girls with their work. Well done and good luck, team 7659! 

Arisha
7659 Member

On behalf of the HNMCS 7659 Robotics team, we would like to express our heartfelt and immense gratitude for the incredible support we have received from our school community. In December, our team embarked on a fundraising initiative designed to raise awareness of the Robotics program and secure the necessary funds to expand our team’s possibilities and opportunities. We are proud to share this huge success, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, families, and supporters.

Through a combination of various efforts, we raised a total of $8,080 for our team. This includes $5,000 from our sponsors, $330 raised from our cookie sale at the Christmas Concert, and $2,750 from our matching campaign. This financial success would not have been possible without the incredible contributions of individuals and organizations who believe in the value of our team and our mission. We would like to extend a special thank you to our generous sponsors at ICON Constructors (Slowikowski family), whose contribution was instrumental to our campaign. Additionally, we are incredibly grateful to the Grignano, Kuon, and Opauszky families for their thoughtful and supportive donations. Your kindness and belief in the potential of our team have made a lasting impact on our program and our students. The funds raised through this campaign have enabled us to make significant investments in new equipment that will greatly enhance our capabilities and support our continued growth. Specifically, we have been able to purchase three new laptops, each of which will proudly display the ICON logo as a symbol of their generosity. In addition, we have acquired a high-tech 3D printer, which will play a crucial role in the development and prototyping of our robot designs. With these new tools at our disposal, we are more equipped than ever to continue fostering the technical skills and teamwork that are essential to our success. Our team members now have the resources they need to make the most of our Technical Tuesdays, where they collaborate to code the robot, and our build sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays, where they work hands-on to bring their ideas to life. These sessions are vital in helping our students develop not only their technical expertise but also their problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills. 

We are deeply grateful for the support of our school community, and we cannot wait to see how this investment will empower our team to reach new heights. Thank you for helping to make the HNMCS 7659 Robotics team stronger, more innovative, and more prepared for the challenges ahead. Your contributions are helping shape the future of our team, and we are truly appreciative.

Lia 
7659 Member

On December 14, 2024, Holy Name of Mary College School hosted our third annual FIRST LEGO League (FLL) tournament! Our senior school robotics team, the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, organized the event under the guidance of our dedicated coach, Dr. Kozma. This year’s FLL theme, SUBMERGED, challenged teams to dive deep into ocean exploration. Participants used creative thinking and LEGO technology to explore the layers of the ocean and bring their learnings and ideas to the surface as they “sea” into the future. We welcomed 24 teams to our school, each bringing innovative solutions to the challenges posed by the SUBMERGED theme. The day was filled with intense robot matches, project presentations, and core values activities, highlighting teamwork, innovation, and gracious professionalism. By the end of the tournament, six outstanding teams earned spots to advance to the provincial championships. Their dedication and creativity truly stood out, and we wish them the best in the next stage of the competition. Hosting this event was a significant milestone for our school’s robotics program. It provided our FRC team with valuable experience in event planning and offered younger students a glimpse into the exciting world of robotics. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Kozma for leading this initiative and to all the volunteers, participants, and supporters who made the day a success. We were honoured to have Dave Ellis, President of FIRST Robotics Canada, attend the tournament. His visit highlighted not only the impressive scale of the event but also the outstanding organizational efforts of our all-girl FRC Robotics team, who flawlessly executed every detail. Dave Ellis was deeply impressed by their leadership, teamwork, and commitment. He also presented HNMCS Robotics with a plaque recognizing our team’s significant contribution to hosting the FLL Tournament for the past three years. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and passion our students bring to the FIRST community.

We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future and continuing to inspire a passion for STEM in our school community.

Samantha and Kylie 
Grade 9 HNMCS Robotics Team 7659 Members

HNMCS Robotics is proud to denote ourselves as a team who prioritises quality. We focus on engagement–each part of our robot was worked on by different members of the team, each who work with others to emphasise collaboration and place a focus on teaching students to develop engineering and teaching skills. Previous students, with experience in advanced engineering, often return to teach and assist with our robots. With over 30 years of experience in engineering, our team mentor leads coding sessions to teach members different methods in creating polished, easy to follow, lines of code. These are implemented in the robot and used for competition, allowing students to feel more connected and engaged with the game.FIRST Robotics features teams who demonstrate quality–through workmanship, collaboration, and the overall structure of our robot. This year, we’re shooting for the stars–quality award, here we come!

Simona
7659 Administration Lead

On Giving Tuesday, the HNMCS Robotics team came together to support a meaningful cause, organizing and donating children’s books to the Children’s Book Bank of Toronto. Our students worked tirelessly to divide and pack the books into boxes, ensuring they were ready for distribution to children in need. Alongside the book donation, students took part in a creative project, designing and decorating Christmas-themed bookmarks. Each bookmark was decorated with a kind, cheerful message to spread holiday joy to the young readers who would receive them.

Adding an element of friendly competition, our school houses battled to donate the most books, with each house striving to earn the most points. This sparked a sense of excitement and friendship, as students rallied together to contribute as many books as possible. The house spirit was extreme, and the energy of the day was contagious, spreading Christmas cheer among all participants.

In the end, a total of 235 books were donated, making a significant contribution to the Children’s Book Bank. This event was a beautiful reminder of the power of giving, teamwork, and spreading kindness during the holiday season.

Isabella 
7659 Member