Dulaney High School hosts DMV robotics competition

BALTIMORE - At Baltimore's Dulaney High School, the gymnasium is usually used for sporting events. 

On this particular Sunday morning, the spectators in the bleachers are cheering for teams, but not sports teams.

Instead, it is teams of engineers. The players on the field are robots. 

"Every year a new game-based engineering challenge comes out," Dulaney Senior Nerissa Wong said. "Teams from all over the world have six weeks to design, build and program their robot for the next six weeks of competition."

Thousands of teams from all over the world are playing one game. 

At Dulaney High School, 36 of the best and brightest high school robotics teams from Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia competed in the first robotics competition, a premier international high school engineering challenge. 

"To have the engineering skills, the design thinking skills and problem solving is incredible, but then to add on the extra layer of teamwork," said Alex Bryant, First Chesapeake's Director of Programs.

When it comes to the programming, engineering and operation necessary for each robot, every team member is important and brings a different skillset to the table. 

"It's just exciting to see all of these teams come together from all over the Maryland, Virginia and D.C. area with their different robot designs," said Wong, competing on 1727.

1727's design is simple and sleek and is one of the better performing robots in competition.  

But even though it is a competition, it is also a meeting of the minds. 

"The great thing about first is, we're all working off the same basic principles and the same goal," said Ben Dodge, of Robobees 836. "We're playing the same game and applying the same fundamental rules, but the solutions are so radically different."

Sunday's competition was a district qualifying event.

Teams are looking to earn enough points to compete at district championships which is April 5-8 at George Mason. 

That is where teams will compete hoping to earn a spot in the world championships.