The Career Academy Robotics team of South Bend, Cryofrost E3 Robotics of Elkhart as well as the Penn Black Knights and Penn Golden Rooks of Penn High School in Mishawaka, are competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition at the Kardatzke Wellness Center on the campus of Anderson University, Saturday.

Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology, organizers call FIRST Robotics Competition the ultimate sport for the mind.

The teams have been working since January 7, 2023, to design, prototype, and fabricate robots for this year’s game, CHARGED UP presented by the Gene Haas Foundation.

High school student participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.”

Under strict rules, limited resources, and an intense six-week time limit, teams of students were challenged to raise funds, design a team "brand," hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors.

It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get.

Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team.

The State Championship will be held at the Kardatzke Wellness Center on the campus of Anderson University. 

The event runs from Friday, April 7, through Saturday, April 8. 

These teams are competing for one of 10 spots to the world championship in Houston, Texas, April 19 through the 22.

For more information visit the FIRST Indiana Robotics website.