WildStang robotics team advances to championships

Northwest Suburban High School District 214's WildStang robotics team advanced to the FIRST Robotics Championship competition in St. Louis after placing second at regionals.

WildStang was one of 52 teams at the FIRST Robotics Midwest Regional robotics competition held from March 31 to April 2 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

"I am proud of the students and the mentors on the team," said team leader Mark Koch. "They have devoted many hours to designing a competitive machine and their showing last weekend is indicative of what a great robot the students and mentors have built."

More than 400 teams will compete in eight divisions at the championship in St. Louis from April 27 to April 30 to determine an overall winner. WildStang has won world championships in 2003, 2009 and 2011.

There are 68 students on District 214's WildStang team, which began designing and building its robot in January. Engineers from Motorola Solutions and other local businesses volunteer their time and talent to work with District 214 teachers in mentoring the students.

Local businesses, including Methode Electronics, Just Manufacturing, Nu-Way Industries, Automatic Precision and Magnetic Inspection Laboratory, help by fabricating and shaping parts that are designed by students. The students take the shaped parts and assemble, wire and program the robot.

This year's game is entitled "Stronghold." The robots, in a three-on-three competition, earn points by breaching castle defenses by having the robots drive over obstacles and shooting balls, called boulders, through windows in a castle wall.