Move Over Microsoft: World Champion Robotics Team Receives Key to West Des Moines

Members of the world champions of robotics, West Des Moines’ Beta Team 3550, were each given a key to the city from Mayor Steven Gaer Monday.

Emmaly Burklund, the team’s coach for four years, spoke at the West Des Moines City Council meeting where the students were honored. The youths recently won the FIRST Tech Challenge world championships, and hope to compete in the Asia-Pacific Invitational in Sydney, Australia, July 4-6.

“I’ve been absolutely amazed at how they have improved and the opportunities that the students have had,” Burkland said. “I cannot wait to see what they are going to do in the future.”

Dale Herzberg, a mentor for the team, praised the students.

“Like Emmaly said, we are absolutely amazed at these young students and what they have been able to do with the robotics program and the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program, and the outreach they provided for the state,” Herzberg said. “And the promotion of West Des Moines as a district and as a city across the world.”

Saketh Undurty, who has been part of the team for four years, thanked the city leaders for the recognition.

“We’d like to thank the city of West Des Moines for this huge honor,” Undurty said. “To be given something, which has also been given to Shawn Johnson and (Olympic gymnastics) coach (Liang) Chow, who are now around the world, is amazing. We are really grateful that the community is starting to recognize what we are doing in this program and what we have been doing for the last four years.”

Annie Howard, who has been on the robotics team for two years, recognized other robotics teams around West Des Moines.

“Our main goal is to leave behind the first robotics legacy in the community,” Howard said. “Our main goal that is in the future signing up for a robotics program will be as easy as signing up for a baseball team or a high school band. We hope that with the continued support from the city of West Des Moines and the West Des Moines schools, that students will continue to have first-hand, hands-on experience with stem education.”

Gaer presented the team with a $5,000 check to help it compete in the Australia event.

“It’s a great thing for the city of West Des Moines,” Gaer said. “We are competing around the world for what is hundreds and millions of dollars of investments by these corporations and for us to be able to tout on our resume that we have a robotics team from a school here that is a world champion, will continue to allow us to attract more of these companies to choose West Des Moines. We are competing on a world-wide stage and we are really privileged to have this team here in the city and privileged to honor them.”