Coaches

Sarah Oelkers

Head Coach

This is the third year that Oelkers has been a FIRST Robotics coach. She has been a Life Science teacher at Blooming Prairie High School since 2014. She LOVES science and enjoys sharing the world of robotics with her students. 

Brandon Oelkers

Assistant Coach

Brandon is an IT Systems Administrator at Olmsted Medical Center. This is his second year Assistant Coach after a year of mentoring during the rookie season.

Team Members

Isaac Hanson

Build Team
My name is Isaac; I am sixteen years old. I am a junior in high school. I decided to become a part of our robotics team since it was enjoyable last year, and I’m looking forward to the competition. I enjoy listening to music, and I am currently learning guitar. Fun fact: Why can’t the T-Rex clap? They’re Dead.​

adam larson

Electrical Team
My name is Adam Larson. I am fifteen years old. I am in the ninth grade. I joined Robotics to experience what it would be like to build a robot. A fun fact about me is that I really want to go to Europe.​ ​​Why was Six afraid of Seven? Six hasn't been the same since he left Vietnam. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees charlie hiding in the darkness of the forest. Not that you could see them, mind you. They were fast and they knew their way around the jungle. He remembers the looks on the boy's faces when they walked into that village and... oh man. He shouldn't think about that now. Sometimes he still hears Tex's slow southern drawl. He remembers all the boys but they're gone now... he knows that. It's--It's just that he forgets sometimes. And sometimes the way that seven looks at him... It makes him think. Sets him on edge, And he feels like he's back there... In the jungle... In the darkness. Seven has a hook for a hand as well, which is very scary.  PSA: Don't derp and drive
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Viridiana Villarreal

Media Team
​My name is Viridiana and I am 16 years old. I am a sophomore, and I joined robotics because I found the the topic very interesting. I also thought it was a great opportunity to have in high school. My family is from Mexico, but I am from Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. I usually travel to Mexico during the year, so I can go visit family and learn about my culture.  Music is what I mostly love to do, and I’m in the BPHS school band. In school, I play the tuba and the bass guitar. During the summer, I am the vice president of the Stix Of Fury drumline. What do you call a dog with no legs? It doesn't matter what you call him, he isn't coming.

Baylee sorensen

 Media Team
​Hi my name is Baylee, I am in 10th grade. I go to Blooming Prairie High School. I just turned 16 in October. I joined robotics to be able to learn how to promote things. An interesting thing about me is that I have a cat named Moushi, and I named him after the cat in the Anne Frank book because that is the book we were reading in school when I got him. I LOVE cats.  Why did the chicken cross the road? The reason is because a chicken can do what he wants. A chicken can cross the road without its life's motives being questioned.

kisha aquino

Media and Safety
​Hello~ This year I'm currently part of Media and Safety team. This is my second year, and I honestly enjoy being a part of the Robotics team! In my spare time, I tend to read books, listen to foreign songs, work on short stories, and play online games. Also, I have a dark sense of humor.
​Currently, I am fluent in speaking two languages (English & Tagalog), one dialect (Bisaya), and still learning Spanish. I hope to add more to the list in the future. 
Speaking of the future, I want to become a judge one day! I was inspired by my best friend who currently lives in Sweden. 

Jesse Schewe

Build Team
​Hi, my name is Jesse; I am eighteen years old. Currently, I am a junior in high school, and I am attending my first year of PSEO at Riverland Community College. Last year, I was part of our school’s robotics team, and I learned some stuff and had a little fun in the process. I am looking forward to having another good season. We have to have a fun fact within this short paragraph, and I did incorporate it into the above but was told it wasn’t good enough. So, my fun fact: Do you know why you can’t hear a pterodactyl in the bathroom? The P is silent.

Jon herron

Programming Team
​I am 17 years old. I am a senior. I joined because I have a big interest in figuring out how to make a robot work: what parts are necessary, how to organize it and how to create it. I also have a slight interest in developing parts of computers and systems. I feel this will help me gain skills I may need to develop a career. Fun Facts; I play the trumpet and I am also on the golf team.
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zach wiese

Electrical Team
My full name is Zachary Thomas Wiese. In my free time, I like to play computer and PS4 games. I also like to ride dirt bikes and four wheelers. My favorite class in school is Foods because I like to eat food. I joined robotics to have fun and be part of a very productive and successful team. I currently bounce back and forth between building and electrical work. I play percussion in the school band. I have a part time job in Owatonna. I'm all about the deals. ;)
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Cole Graves

Safety Team
​My name is Cole Graves. I am 15 and in 9th grade. I like to build stuff and have fun. I like to read books and spend time with my sister and brother. The reason I joined robotics is to better educate myself in mechanics. I want to be a robotics engineer when I grow up. I have a dog named Olive. Joke: What was the porpoise of writing this?

Thomas Erickson

Organization Team
Hello, I am Thomas Erickson, and I am a senior in high school. I am on the organization team. This is my second year in robotics. I feel that people should join robotics because it is a good learning experience and fun. Joke: Why can't the pig fly? He was all out of Redbull. 

Kyler christianson

Build Team
​I am 18 years old, and I’m a senior. I joined because I am interested in engineering, and I know robotics will help with that. Fun Fact: I play the Trumpet, Baritone, and Trombone.  ​
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Jack Matson

Build Team
My name is Jack Matson. I am 15 years old, and I am in ninth grade. I joined robotics because I needed something to fill my free time and was exploring my possibilities. An interesting fact about myself, I often speed run Legend of Zelda Wind Waker HD.  What do you call a fly with no wings? still a fly the irony is unfortunate, but the name does not change.

Jillian Wigham

Media Team 
I am 16 years old, I am on my 2nd year of robotics. I originally joined robotics to expand my horizons in multiple aspects of engineering. But, I am currently a part of the media team in order to help my public speaking and promoting skills. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and writing. I am a cheerleader, I also dance and play basketball.   

riley millaM

Programming Team
Hi my name is Riley Millam. My favorite color is maroon and crimson.  I play Magic the Gathering, and I am super good. My favorite subject is Chemistry. When i get older, I want to have a job that involves programming. I have two very sweet sisters. Lastly, I'm on the programming team, that's about it.​

DJ Stender

Build Team
My name is DJ. I am 15 years old, and I would be in my fourth year at Hogwarts, but here I am in the 10th grade. Still no Hogwarts letter. I joined because robotics sounded fun and interesting. I was born in Sioux City, IA.​​​

Charlie Heimerman

Electrical Team
​Hi my name is Charlie Heimerman. I’m 15 and in 9th grade. I am in many activities including Robotics, Speech, Student Council, Football, Baseball, and the Play. I really enjoy school, especially the sciences. Robotics is a really fun way to use as an output for my creativity. It is also very interesting because I really like making things and engineering

Reese Millam

Programming Team
Hey, my name is Reese Millam. I like to read and listen to music. I play the violin and I have a pet cat named Cinder. She is probably my best friend because she cuddles with me all the time. I joined robotics because it sounded like fun and I can’t play sports. I want to be an author when I grow up, and one day I want to own a snake. Joke: Q: Do you want to hear a bad cat joke? A: Just kitten!

Mentors

Marcus zellmer

​My name is Marcus - this is my second year as a robotics mentor with the Wrenchwarmers.  I am a 2007 BPHS grad, and am currently working systems engineering with Boeing's Research and Technology group (BR&T).  I work with the planning and design/development team, and am currently living in the  St Louis area with my wife Andrea and our two young daughters

 

Matt Steiner

HI, my name is Matt. This is my second year as robotics mentor. I work directly with the programming team. I also work at IBI Data as the lead Web Developer. I live in Brownsdale with my girlfriend, Wendy. 
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Martin larsen

Hi, my name Martin Larsen. This is my third year as a robotics mentor. I work mostly with the design team. I look forward to more years working with this amazing team.

wENDY aNDERSON                       Maddie leet 

Hi my name is Wendy. This is my first year as a mentor, I work closely with the media team. After attending the competition last year, in Duluth, I became interested in being apart of this organization. I own my own business. My favorite color is  green, in my spare time I like to do crafts. 

​Hi, my name is Maddie. I am a designer for Minimizer and I have just graduated Rochester Community Tech. College with an associates degree in computer aided drafting. I live in Fairbault MN. I graduated in 2014 Fairbault High School. My favorite color is blue. I love country music.

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