The West Bloomfield robotics team, The Atomigators, received first place in an Oakland County competition on Nov. 23 at Walled Lake Western High School. The team received the 2019 OCCRA (Oakland County Competitive Robotics Association) Championship award. Participating students build and control 120 pound robots that attempt to achieve goals while opponents try and stop them. Throughout the competition, points are gathered into one large score. It is organized in a chosen bracket until there is one team that stands. For 20 years, more than 800 students across the county participate in the county competition each year, including elementary to high school grade levels.

 Robotics club is an organization at West Bloomfield High School that allows members to strengthen leadership skills, learn to work with others and learn how to design robots for competition. The team meets after school for about 1 to 6 hours daily, with a lot of work going into each meeting. Meetings began the first week of school. The robotics team means a lot for its members and is a big part of their lives. 

“It is a great experience to participate in something so eventful. It means so much to learn skills for the future work environment and skills for classes in school” said Antonio Alvarez Tostado Aerdker, the president of the robotics team. 

Due to the time commitment that went into the competition, the hard work of students and the high energy of the competition, the win is well deserved and treasured by the robotics team and WBHS as a whole.