Hazmat Robotics has advanced to the State Championship for the 8th year in a row. This year, the team made it to semifinals, placing 4th out of 60 amazing teams. Robots stack cones on poles of different sizes to get points for 2023’s game challenge. But how is Hazmat so consistent? From the start of the season to the bittersweet end, this season’s team members will take you along the road to the States.

Hazmat took trips to bowl, skate, and compete in an arcade in order to bond with their new teammates. These organized team activities, also called OTAs, are great opportunities for the team to relieve stress and connect with each other. Liam Thompson, grade 9, explained, “Throughout engaging with the entire team, we have developed a Hazmat family where everyone has bonded.”

The most important hurdle in getting to the State Championship was the District competition. Hazmat’s two robots competed at the District tournament and set a new high score for points. Mr. Glynn Dettman, the coach of Hazmat, stated, “The team has been able to adjust and make the necessary improvements in their efforts throughout the season to help them be successful.” The teams won second and fourth place for robot performance in the tournament and also received many judged awards. Hazmat won seven awards, the highest judged award being the Inspire Award. The Inspire Award was given to a well-rounded team that excelled in spreading STEM throughout their community and robot performance. Hazmat was also chosen because they were a role model and an inspiration for other teams. This amazing performance allowed Hazmat Robotics to progress to States.

Securing relationships with everybody in Hazmat and other teams allows competitors to work together to create a better environment for STEM. Grant Moore, grade 12 and business lead, detailed, “When new members join the team, we want to create
an atmosphere for them to prosper and grow a love for robotics.” Hazmat applies this method to many communities in an
effort to spread STEM.

“Coopertition” is a value that Hazmat represents. It is a combination of cooperation and competition, allowing events to be the perfect balance of friendly and competitive. The two sister teams that make up Hazmat work togeth-
er using this concept to ensure their best effort every season. Jim Qin, grade 12, and programming lead, explained, “With some help from the programmer on 10650 and our mentor, I was able to accomplish most of the tasks my team needs.” Mentors are brought in to help the students get on the right track during the season. Mr. Jim Varley, who works at Lockheed Martin and is a Hazmat mentor, is an expert in design processes and has been paramount to the success of Hazmat.

During the State Championship, Hazmat gifted other teams with candy, challenging puzzles, and a lot of questions. Rising lead- ers in Hazmat took the opportunity to look at the pits, areas that teams have themed decor and informational posters, in order to gather ideas for next year. Hazmat ran into many challenges throughout the season, but overcoming them allowed the team to place highly in the State championship and enjoy the experiences along the way.