Team 888 from Glenelg High School gathered at 7 a.m. Thursday in the school's parking lot, a bit sleep-deprived perhaps, but definitely pumped up.
The night before, 12 students had checked off 1,500 pounds of supplies on a lengthy packing list in preparation for their 10-hour journey to the Indiana Robotics Invitational, an elite competition for the top 72 teams in the world.
Along with the robot they designed and built, their team was transporting tools, spare parts, extension cords, 12-volt gel batteries and chargers - anything members might possibly need during the two-day event that ended Saturday.
The Robotiators - a name that blends "robots" and "Gladiators," the school's mascot - were ready to rumble.
"Here at Glenelg, geeks and nerds are considered cool," said Dean Sheridan, the team's mentor and a longtime math and engineering teacher at the school, as the students fine-tuned their entry earlier last week.
"We've created a unique culture where our team's lead designer is as well-respected as the captain of the football team," he said.
"Who is the football team captain anyway?" asked 2009 graduate Nick Boeh teasingly. He's one of several alumni who devoted summertime hours to help tweak the team's robot, which competed earlier this year, for a rematch in Indianapolis. During the school year, between 20 and 25 students are on the team.
The IRI is a popular off-season event sponsored by FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. The nonprofit group founded in 1989 strives to put sizzle into science by organizing robot face-offs that boast the adrenaline-infused atmosphere of a sporting event, play-by-play announcers included. This season's competitions attracted nearly 200,000 students from 51 countries.
"So much time and effort and adulation are poured into athletes, and so little into scientists," said Sheridan, who has led a robotics team at Glenelg for eight years.
"Competitions like this one aim to get society to honor and promote kids who are pursuing careers in science and technology," said the 32-year teacher for whom the school's robot was named "The Dean."
While there are 26 teams in Maryland, it's only been in the past couple of years that two other county schools, Atholton and Hammond, have participated, according to FIRST's Web site.
