VIDEO: WHS Robotics Team Gears Up for Big Competition

While most of the school is dark and quiet, one corner hums with activity as the Watertown High School robotics team builds its entry for this year's Boston FIRST Regional Robotics Competition, March 22-24 at Boston University's Agganis Arena.

Known as the KwarQS, the group of 24 students has worked for five weeks to build a robot that will take part in a robotic basketball competition. They have less than a week to put the finishing touches on their robot, said head coach Nic Smits, who is also a senior at Bentley University.

The team gets help from 15 mentors, who include Watertown teachers, school administrators as well as interested parents and residents.

In its first year, the KwarQS won the Rookie of the Year Award, and last year, in its fourth year, the team received the Gracious Professionalism Award.

"A team from Turkey entered the competition, but their robot was not able to pass inspection," Smits said. "A couple of our team members stayed late and helped them pass inspection. The (Turkish) team went on to win Rookie of the Year and go on to nationals."

Running the team takes a lot of sweat and hard work, as well as a budget of $20,000. The team's primary sponsor, Raytheon BBN Technologies, provides 75 percent of the cost, Smits said, but they are always looking for more sponsors.

This year's sponsors include: Dynasil, Texas Instruments, United Electronic Controls, Watertown Education Foundation, Watertown Savings Bank, Miller/Tracy Children's Foundation, Ergopedia Inc., SevenCycles and Graphic Connections.