By Katie Jenkins

For the first time in NNHS history,  the Robotics Team qualified for Nationals after winning the regional competition in Duluth, Minnesota, according to Team Sponsor Geoffrey Schmit.

NNHS and the other two teams in their alliance swept the competition by winning every single match, according Schmit.

The team never expected to do so well in competition. Many team members merely expected enough constructive criticism to help them prepare for the upcoming Midwest Regionals.

“Our robot had certain strengths that worked really well with other robots,” said Schmit. “It was extremely well designed, and it was this quality that allowed us to be successful.”

Forty-seven teams competed at Duluth over the course of three days, and half of the NNHS robotics team traveled there to complete. “Sally”, their one hundred and thirty pound robot, was able to throw Frisbees and push any robots that stood in its way. However, this victory did not come without sacrifice.

Juniors and seniors will miss prom for the national competition in St. Louis, Missouri. While many high school students consider the dance a rite of passage, senior Sean Van Dril has other priorities.

“I’m okay with it. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we’ve been building up to this moment for years,” said Van Dril. It’s just a matter of getting your priorities straight.”

Sally was the product of a six-week build season, and the team dedicated approximately twenty-five hours a week to this robot. This intensive practice schedule will continue over the next few weeks as the team prepares for the Midwest Regionals and Nationals.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us. Being at Duluth, as much as it was exciting to win and everything, it was really humbling to see all the other robots,” said Van Dril. “Especially since this is our first year, I think that Nationals will prepare us for the next level and really get us to start thinking about how to build a more competitive robot in future years.”

According to sophomore Arresh Amleshi, Nationals may be a long shot. Many members simply do not know what to expect. Therefore, the team expects to use this opportunity as a learning experience.

Conversely, many members consider robotics much more than a learning experience – they consider it a lifestyle.

“We are working so hard to create something so great,” said Amleshi. “It’s such a great pay-off with such high stakes. It’s pretty amazing really.”