They have names such as “The Fighting Pi,” “ThunderChickens” “Robostangs” and EngiNERDS” and together they will descend on Monroe High School this weekend, Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, with roughly 40 other high school teams to compete in Michigan’s Advanced Robotics Competition (MARC.) 

     Monroe High School, 901 Herr Rd., has hosted the MARC the last several years, transforming the gymnasium into a huge robotics competition arena.  Robotics is one of the most colorful competitions offered to students.

     Qualifying matches run from 11:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday (June 24) and 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday (June 25.)  Championship matches are scheduled from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, with an awards ceremony to follow.  Admission to the competition is free and the public is invited.  Participants range from middle school to high school students.

     The event makes Monroe the center of the state’s robotics universe for the weekend.  Among the Monroe County teams scheduled to participate are TEMPEST, Dundee Vi-Borgs, Cow Town from Carleton and Monroe Trojan Robotics. 

     However, the other teams come from practically every corner of the state.  Teams are expected from Ann Arbor, Armada, Auburn Hills, Belmont, Bloomfield Hills, Fremont, Goodrich, Grand Blanc, Lake Orion, Livonia, Madison Heights, Northville, Novi, Okemos, Pontiac, Redford, Rochester Hills, South Lyon, Sterling Heights and Troy.