OPG helping to empower student robotics clubs across Ontario
At a glance
- OPG support through its Power for Change Project is helping charge up student robotics clubs across the province.
- These student-led clubs are helping build important STEM skills and giving youth hands-on experience with real-world tools.
- Through healthy robotics competition, students are building confidence, skills, and pathways to future careers.
OPG is helping the next generation of innovators gain hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills by supporting seven high school robotics clubs last year across Ontario.
Through OPG’s Power for Change Project, students from Thunder Bay to Cornwall are gaining practical experience in engineering, coding, teamwork, and problem-solving.
At the heart of these clubs is leadership and initiative. Students don’t just build robots – they run the show.
The clubs are student-run, with students scheduling meetings, managing fundraising, allocating budgets, and assigning roles alongside coding and building.
Teams also get hands-on access to real tools, working with equipment and technologies typically reserved for professional environments.
I enjoy building and designing things, and I like to solve problems that help the robot move as intended.StudentDeep River Robotics Club
“I enjoy building and designing things, and I like to solve problems that help the robot move as intended,” said one student, a member of the Deep River Robotics Club.
Within the Renfrew County District School Board, OPG supports two robotics clubs: the long-standing Arnprior District High School Robotics Club and Deep River Robotics Club.
Arnprior’s robotics club has benefited from OPG’s support for more than a decade and has played a key mentorship role in helping the Deep River club establish and grow its program – reflecting the collaborative spirit at the heart of student robotics.
During the 2023–2024 season, Arnprior achieved runner-up status in both qualifying tournaments and advanced to the provincial championship.
“Building a new robot from scratch each year and bringing it to competition is the highlight. The students make it happen,” said Peter Cudmore, a teacher at Arnprior District High School.
Beyond competition, the Arnprior robotics club contributes widely to the community by hosting electronics recycling events, mentoring a FIRST LEGO League team, helping organize a regional robotics tournament, and supporting regional STEM growth through a partnership with Carleton University Engineering.
Meanwhile, since its formation in 2024, the Deep River club has benefited greatly from close mentorship from the Arnprior club. Thanks to this guidance, the Deep River group won the Rookie All-Star Award in their debut year and earned the Rising All-Star Award in 2025.
This spring, both are set to compete bot-to-bot at regional events at Durham College in Oshawa and Nipissing University in North Bay.
OPG is proud to sponsor these two clubs, as well as other robotics clubs throughout the province, to help students build confidence, technical skills, and pathways to future careers in skilled trades and the energy sector – strengthening communities and preparing tomorrow’s workforce.
Given the popularity of these clubs, OPG's Power for Change Project has already reached capacity for the year and is no longer receiving requests for support.
To see what career paths STEM can help open, head on over to OPG’s WattNext.ca, our new energy education platform. Whether it’s robotics or engineering, these skills will be valuable in the roles that will power our future.
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