Teen Builds Robotics Club Focused on Teamwork Over Tech

Nicholas Lee learned something surprising while building competition robots: the hardest part wasn't debugging code or untangling wires. It was getting people to talk to each other.

The 17-year-old Pullman High School senior just won his local newspaper's STEM excellence award, but not for technical brilliance alone. He earned it by making his peers feel like valued teammates instead of just tech assistants.

Lee's robotics journey started freshman year when he joined the Palouse SciBorgs, a student-led 4-H club that builds 115-pound robots for FIRST Robotics competitions. Each year, teams design, build, and program machines to compete in complex challenges.

But Lee noticed something crucial. "It's really inspiring to see people learning together and being able to refine communication skills," he said. The robots were just the excuse to practice something more valuable.

The SciBorgs extended their mission beyond competitions. The team hosts workshops and community events, and every year they engineer spooky elements for Haunted Palouse, a Halloween fundraiser. Lee's favorite creation? A sensor system that detected footsteps and triggered air compressors to hiss like snakes at people's ankles.

In March, the group won the FIRST Impact Award at the Pacific Northwest Oregon State Fair. The honor recognizes the team making the most significant, sustained impact in their community.

The Ripple Effect

Lee didn't stop at one club. He founded a SkillsUSA chapter at his school focused on computer-aided design, creating another space for students to explore engineering who might never have gotten the chance.

As club president, Lee guides students building 4-inch robots from scratch. The group prepares presentations explaining design components and engineering principles. "It really challenges students to design and collaborate," he said.

His teamwork approach caught the attention of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, where he now interns in the Research and Development Department. Lee and fellow interns test products and hunt for bugs, hands-on experience that confirmed his career path.

This fall, Lee heads to Washington State University to study electrical engineering with plans to become a design engineer. He wants a career that blends logistics with creativity, and more importantly, one that keeps him working with people.

Lee's message to future engineers is simple: STEM isn't just about machines. It's about the humans who build them together.