Bellevue Patch Whiz Kid: Saints Robotics Inspires Youths

Name: Saints Robotics Team 1899

School: Interlake High School

Achievement: The Saints Robotics Team, comprised of 60 Interlake High School students, recently won top prize in the regional FIRST Robotics competition, and also garnered the Chairman's award for its local outreach efforts. Forty-five members of the team currently are in St. Louis, competing in the National FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology) Robotics competition, which continues through tomorrow.

Keys to Awesomeness: The Saints Robotics Team 1899 started with 5 students about 5 years ago, says Eric Sun, a junior at Interlake High School who alos works in the team's marketing department. Sun says that while the team is very proud to be competing in St. Louis, it really prides itself on reaching out to younger kids, showing them the magic of technology and how it can be used to help others. Sun, for example, thought he would like to be a doctor before he became involved in the club as a freshman. Now, he says, he's learned a lot about a variety fo different fields through his involvement, and is leaning toward studying biomedical engineering to combine his love of technology with his interest in helping others.

Though one focus of the team is on building robots for the FIRST and VEX competitions, the group has a Web team, a marketing team, and a design team, so it's able to draw on a lot of interests. 

The program has been so successful, Sun says, that it is hoping to expand next year to include seventh and eight graders as well.

Photos courtesy Youth Connection article:

--Information from Eric Sun, Saints Robotics Team 1899

Do you know a kid or a program that everyone in Bellevue should know about Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to venice.buhain@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information:

• Nominator's Name
• Nominator's E-Mail
• Whiz Kid's Name
• Whiz Kid's Age
• Whiz Kid's School
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishment
• Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness (what made him/her successful?)

If your nominee is selected, we'll contact you about getting a photo of the young person or team. For questions, e-mail venice.buhain@patch.com.