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Fort Atkinson students capture top honor at Gateway Sumobot competition

News Release: 

Walworth County middle-school competitors dominate several categories

The Blue Shark Robotics team from Fort Atkinson Middle School captured the top position at Gateway Technical College’s 12th Annual SumoBot competition held May 5 at its SC Johnson integrated Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Center in Sturtevant.

Blue Shark Robotics also took second place in the Presentation/Engineering Log Book category and third in the Timed Task category on its way to beating out more than 300 other competitors, the largest number ever to compete in the event. The event has grown from a more than 100 competitors as recently as 2008 to this year’s high number.

Another team from Fort Atkinson, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, took first place in the Presentation/Engineering Log Book category.

Students from Walworth County schools took six of the top 10 places across the different event categories, including two first-place honors:

  • Children of the Candy Corn team from Walworth Middle School took first place in the Timed Task category
  • The Puppy Monkey Baby team from Elkhorn Middle School took first place in the Speed and Agility category
  • Wild Bees from Walworth Elementary took second place in the Timed Task category
  • The Excellent Vexcellents from Elkhorn Middle School took third place in Presentation/Engineering Log Book
  • The Dres Boe team from Elkhorn Middle School took third place in the Speed and Agility category
  • Team Inferno from Lakewood Elementary, Twin Lakes, took third place in the Sumo Bot category

Two Kenosha-area teams also took top honors, both in the SumoBot category

  • The Safety First team from Lakeview Technology Academy took first
  • The Team Black team from Paris School took second

            Organizers say the event helps students explore engineering design from start to finish while having some fun, as well. For more information, contact Pat Hoppe (262) 886-7518.