MILWAUKEE - Rufus King IB High School has another thing to be proud of as the FIRST Robotics team has been named the Chicago Midwest champion. FIRST Robotics also qualified for the national tournament in Atlanta, after attending the Midwest Regional Tournament on March 2 at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

A total of 53 teams from six different states and Canada gathered in Chicago. FIRST Robotics overcame all challengers, even beating last year’s national champion Symbotics, in the final qualifying match.

“It feels like having a Super Bowl ring for free because it’s my first year mentoring the team,” said Rufus King physics teacher Tim Lund.

The team also went to another regional tournament at the US Cellular arena on March 12 and 14 where they took fifth place, but are still considered the Chicago Midwest champions.

The FIRST Robotics team consists of 13 Rufus King students, three Bradley Tech students, and three mentors: Lund, Rufus King science teacher Paul Jutrzonka and Mark Spoerk, a mentor from Bradley Tech. They also have various mentors from other engineering institutes that assist the team with programming or engineering. 

The final stage is set for Atlanta, which will take place April 16 through April 18, and the FIRST Robotics team will face top teams from around the nation. The teams will be put into four fields, where the top teams from each field will meet in the final field. There they will be able to partner with two teams, and ultimately, there will be three national robotics champions.

“Hopefully we will be able to pick some good teams or get picked to compete in the final field,” said Jutrzonka.

With luck, the FIRST Robotics team will represent Rufus King well and come back to say they are champions again, but this time, national champions.