After recently winning the remarkable Inspire award at the North Branch Competition–as well as the Second Inspire and Connect at Rochester–the Iron Maidens are definitely living up to their namesake.

Created last year, the Iron Maidens joined the ranks of the three other successful robotics teams at our school: Knights of the Valley, Attack on Robot, and the Regal Kiwis. But what makes this team unique is that its members are all female.

“We never thought being women would set us apart like this,” says Iron Maiden member Barbara Tan. “It’s a unique aspect that brings our team to life.”

And alive it has been. The Iron Maidens have been excelling from the start, winning impressive awards–such as the Inspire award–at robotics competitions, a feat almost unheard of from teams as new as them.

“The Inspire award is given to a team who did the best overall in all the competition’s categories. It’s the highest award you can win at competitions, and is almost unheard of for newer teams like us,” says member Cori Roberts.

In addition to making a robot that can score plastic people, push debris, hit triggers, climb a plastic mountain, and hang itself from a bar, marketing is another huge aspect to the team.

Traveling from company to company and giving presentations along the way, the Maidens have gotten many sponsors, from Uponor to Land O’ Lakes to Frontier Communications to Dakota Electric and more.

So, do you want to join the Iron Maidens?

“You have to be committed, hardworking, and passionate about this program,” says Barbara Tan.

“You have to be light-spirited,” says Atalanta Stoeke.

“You have to be able to work with others and be willing to learn.” says Cori Roberts.

Jason Stoeke, the coach of the Iron Maidens, also added onto the list of qualities, voicing that “there is no technical knowledge prerequisite.”

Want to see the Iron Maidens in action? Robotics competitions are open to the public, so make sure to go and support what is fast becoming a one-of-a-kind team!