Arlington robot team waits for word on invite to world competition

Since September, an Arlington Heights-based robotics team has worked toward getting their robot ready for the state competition, which took place Saturday.

Now, it turns out they did so well, their team may get an at-large bid to compete in the world competition in April in Atlanta. They find out next month whether or not to start fundraising, but in the meantime they are basking in the excitement.

The action took place at the FIRST Lego League state championships, where 64 teams or more than 200 students competed with their robots at the Forest View Educational Center.

While "Cobalt Blue" made up of seventh-graders from St. Paul Lutheran School in Mount Prospect won the Champion's Award, and a ticket to the world competition, SWAT -- or Super Working And Technology -- may join them.

SWAT team members earned the "Judges' Award" Saturday for standing out as a team, over and above the four main categories of research, technical and teamwork.

Specifically, head judge Diane Michalczuk says they were selected for their professionalism and for demonstrating the FIRST Lego League's values of integrity and the spirit of friendly competition.

They were the consensus choice to win the award -- and have a shot at advancing, said Cynthia Schmitz of Arlington Heights, tournament director.

Michalczuk adds that if they go, SWAT would be the first Judges' Award winner from Illinois to advance to the world competition.

SWAT is made up mostly of home-schooled students from Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove and Lake Zurich. Team members include: James Davis, Kyle George, Ben Andrew, David Andrew, and Jonathan and David Greer, all of Arlington Heights, as well as Jason and Tyler Long of Lake Zurich, Ben Shudak of Buffalo Grove and Daniel Wright of Long Grove.

This was their fourth year competing, and over the years they have won awards for their robot's performance, technical expertise, and research project.

John Greer, who coached the team with Larry Shudak, said the experience went beyond the building and programming of the robot.

"It allowed us to teach our boys integrity and life skills," said Greer, an engineer by profession, "while getting them excited about science and technology."