For two days later this month the gymnasium at Monroe High School will be the hub of high-school rabotics in Michigan as Monroe High School hosts the Michigan’s Advanced Tobotics Competition (MARC) on June 19 and 20. MHS has hosted this early summer robotics classic for about the last five years.
“We will have more than 40 teams competing and we will have schools from several states. Some of these teams will come hundreds of miles to be with us,” said Mike Mountain, Monroe High School electronics teacher and robotics team coach. “This is a great spectactor sport to see what these kids have developed and admission is free.”
Qualifying matches will run all day Friday, June 19, from 11:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and then from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 20. Championship matches are scheduled from 2:30 pm. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 20. An awards ceremony will be held immediately following the competition.
“Competitive robotics has become a cultural phenomenon in education involving all ages,” said Jeff Demaray, team mentor for Team Virus 3547, a team including students from around the county. “The MARC features teams of high school students guided by mentors, teachers, coaches and parents building robots that weigh up to 120 pounds competing in this year’s Recycle Rush.”
“The kids who you will see compete in this are the ones who one day will be the next generation of engineers, designers and scientists. A number of them will go on to achieve substantial scholarships from colleges and universities,” Mr. Mountain said. “One of the nicest things about robotics from a spectator standpoint is that you really don’t have to understand much about robotics scoring to enjoy watching these colorful machines, and the kids who designed and are controlling them.”
Host teams for the event are Monroe Trojan Robotics 1528, Dundee Vi-Borgs 4395, Tempest 240 from Jefferson High School and Virus 3547 which meets at Monroe County Community College and includes students from around Monroe County.