TEAM 2010 Win Long island Regional

The Lightning Bots from Champion High School in Champion, Ohio participated in two regional competitions this year, the Buckeye and Long Island Regionals. This is the second season for the team, and they finished it right, winning the Long Island Regional Competition late last month. The team placed in the top 20 at the Buckeye Regional.

In Long Island, the Lightning Bots won nine straight matches in the semi-final rounds and quarter-final rounds, and during the final rounds they won the first and third match to capture their very first regional title. During the finals, rounds are won by winning the best of three matches in order to advance. In addition to winning the competition, the Lightning Bots won the Underwriters Laboratories Industrial Safety Award. 

“This is an amazing accomplishment for a second-year team to win a regional,” said Mark Baka, Delphi team advisor and manufacturing system design/advanced industrial engineer. “Our team has worked so hard this year and to finish the season with a win has been well worth the effort.”

While the team is proud of its win, Baka said they are always looking to improve.

“This season was a learning experience for the team,” Baka said. “For next year’s season, I hope to build on other activities like the Website and our animation program.”

The Lightning Bots team is comprised of 22 students. Nine Delphi engineers work with the Lightning Bots as mentors, including Baka, Gary Campbell, Donnell Conner, Jahangir Hashmi, Dennis Heberlein, Vickey Heberlein, Barb Hummel, Mark McCall, and Pete Politsky. 

The Lightning Bots pose for a picture with their robot, "The Flash."		The Lightning Bots' robot, "The Flash," hard at work during the competition.
Pete Politsky, Delphi mentor and engineer, shows off the team's trophy from the Long Island Regional Championship		The Lightning Bots were recognized with this banner for winning the Long Island Regional Championship.