Elgin Robotics Team (L-R) Matthew McKellar, 16, Chris Laker, 14, Marcos Marquez, 16, Kristen McKellar, 16, and Noah Kaldenberger practice with their robot "Bessie" at the Elgin Tech Center in the Tower Building Saturday. January 5, 2013. The team won Inspire Award at the state championship and qualified to compete at Worlds in April. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media

The Elgin Robotics Team members direct their robot "Bessie" to grab rings as they practice at the Elgin Tech Center in the Tower Building Saturday. January 5, 2013. The team won Inspire Award at the state championship and qualified to compete at Worlds in April. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media

Elgin Robotics Team member Matthew McKellar, 16 from Elgin, uses a remote control to manuever their robot "Bessie" during a practice session at the Elgin Tech Center in the Tower Building Saturday. January 5, 2013. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media

Matthew McKellar, 16 from Elgin, picks up Bessie, the Elgin Robotics Team robot during practice at the Elgin Tech Center in the Tower Building Saturday. January 5, 2013. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media

The Elgin Robotics Team members with their robot Bessie at the Elgin Tech Center in the Tower Building Saturday. January 5, 2013. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media

The Elgin Robotics Team members, (L-R) Matthew McKellar, 16, Chris Laker, 14, Kristen McKellar, 16, Zoe McRae, 15, Noah Kaldenberger and Marcos Marquez, 16, with their robot Bessie at the Elgin Tech Center in the Tower Building Saturday. January 5, 2013. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media

The Elgin Robotics Team countdown clock to the Worlds competition in St. Louis at the Elgin Tech Center in the Tower Building Saturday. January 5, 2013. | John Konstantaras~For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Audrey Shores (left) 13, Attachment operator and Clarie Raywood 13, Program Operator, watch as their robot from team RoboWarriors competes in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Nathan Massa (center right) 14, and Brian Espinosa (far right) 13, react as their teams RoboWarriors robot competes in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Nathan Massa (left) 14, and Brian Espinosa 13, watch as their teams RoboWarriors robot competes in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Audrey Shores (left) 13, Attachment operator and Clarie Raywood 13, Program Operator, watch as their robot from team RoboWarriors competes in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Audrey Shores (left) 13, Attachment operator and Clarie Raywood 13, Program Operator, watch as their robot from team RoboWarriors competes in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Audrey Shores (left) 13, Attachment operator and Clarie Raywood 13, Program Operator, react as their robot from team RoboWarriors competes in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Audrey Shores (left) 13, Attachment operator and Clarie Raywood 13, Program Operator, talk with a referee after their robot from team RoboWarriors competed in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia The Abbott Middle School team RoboWarriors boys team gets ready for a robot field run during the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th graders Nathan Massa (left) 14, and Brian Espinosa 13, make an adjustment on their teams RoboWarriors robot while competing in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

12/15/2012 Batavia Abbott Middle School 8th grader Clarie Raywood 13, Program Operator, watchs as her teams robot from team RoboWarriors competes in the FIRST LEGO League Illinois Batavia Green Regional competition at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia on Saturday, December 15, 2012. | Michael Jarecki ~ For Sun-Times Media

Allen Newendyke (left) and Ryan Moser make some last minute adjustments to their "Simply Complicated" robot before a round of competition in Batavia, on Saturday February 2, 2013. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

Ryan Moser (left) tests the "Simply Complicated" robot by lifting beanbags into a trough, as they will do in competition, as Allen Newendyke studies the robot's actions. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

Josh Peritz of the "Robohawks1" team from Naperville Central High School makes an adjustment to the team's robot. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

Ryan Moser carries the "Simply Complicated" robot from the pit area to the competition arena as Allen Newendyke and daughter Alexis follow. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

Allen Newendyke (right) of Batavia talks robotics with "Simply Complicated" robot driver Ryan Moser as the wait their turn to compete. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

"Simply Complicated" team (left) joins with the Naperville Central Robohawks1 team of Graehme Blair (middle with controller) and Sam Horn to competete against two teams on the opposite side of the ring. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

Sue Park (right) and Mia Garbaccio of host Batavia's Fox Valley Robotics team control their robot "Cobalt" with linked controllers. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

Abinaya Konduru (left) and Andrew Pable of the Metea Valley High School "Horse Power Black" team work on their robot in the pit between rounds of competition. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

The Neuqua Valley driving team of (L to R) AJ Ventura, Micha Wong and Shireen Vohra celebrate after Vohra controlled their robot to an easy victory in a round of competion in Batavia, on Saturday, February 2, 2013. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com

The Great Lakes Midwest Illinois Robotics championships resemble a three ring circus, but with performing robots and their drivers, instead of animals with their trainers. | Jon Cunningham~For Sun-Times Media ORG XMIT: photojonc@gmail.com