Henry Ford Gator Bots Place Fifth in District Robotics Tournament

The Henry Ford Academy Gator Bots – the Dearborn high school's FIRST in Michigan robotics team – fared well in Saturday's district tournament.

Forty teams from throughout the area competed in the robotics tournament. This year's task for the teams was to build a remote controlled robot that could shoot basketballs, which is in line with the "Rebound Rumble" theme.

Henry Ford Academy came in fifth place in the district, ending the tournament with a record of 8-3-1. The winning teams will move on to the state competition. According to the FIRST in Michigan website, the top 18 teams from the state's 16 districts will move on to the world championship in St. Louis, MO.

The high school was full, standing room only, for the majority of the tournament. Teams worked together in the pit, making repairs and adjustments to their robots.

The competition was part of the FIRST in Michigan Robotics organization. FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is a robotics organization created in 1992 by inventor Dean Kamen to interest young people in science and technology.

Last year, Henry Ford Academy also .