TREMONT, IL (CBS) - It's not your typical after school activity. But a group of central Illinois students is using robots to achieve success in school and life.
Each year, students at Tremont High School come together to take part in an international robotics competition. This time around, the group is hoping for a "slam dunk" performance. Nolan Graves says, "This year we're playing basketball, so our robot has to shoot hoops at various heights."
The group, nicknamed the Roboteers, has spent the last six weeks designing and building this one of a kind creation. It may not look like an NBA star, but it allows students to flex their mental muscle. Matt Draear says, "It's kind of a sport of the mind, really. That allows the kids to really get excited and have a lot of fun competing while learning."
But these machines are more than just mechanical. They also utilize the latest technology and it requires a full team effort to make sure they work flawlessly.
Dilan Berchtold says, "Mechanical teams, electrical teams, programming teams. Auto CAD and engineering design teams, animation teams. We got a lot of different groups of people who do different things."
The students not only learn about math and science, but life skills that can be hard to find in the classroom. Graves says, "It's a big time commitment. We work on Saturdays, also. So we're working close to 30 hours a week. Fourty on this robot." Berchtold says, "Doing that with school, with homework. A little time management is necessary."
The group hopes all the long hours will pay off when they compete in March. But for students like Graves, he knows the future is even more promising. He plans on majoring in mechanical engineering in college next fall. Graves says, "I honestly don't think I would have gone into engineering if it weren't for this program."
The team will put the finishing touches on their robot this week. They will compete in a regional in Milwaukee March 23 -24.