(BEAVER DAM) Beaver Dam High School students are headed to the state stage after their robots — and their teamwork — stood out against some of the best competitors in Wisconsin.
The school’s two robotics teams, the BeaverBots and the RoboHackerz, qualified for the Wisconsin FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship following a strong showing Saturday at a competition hosted by Epic Systems in Madison. The event brought together top teams from across the state, pushing students to test their engineering skills under pressure.
The BeaverBots earned the Innovate Award, which recognizes excellence in robot design. The team entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed and caught judges’ attention with a strong mechanical build, creative engineering and a hooded flywheel mechanism that helped set their robot apart.
The RoboHackerz also advanced after receiving the Sustain Award, honoring leadership and commitment to STEM outreach in rural communities. Seeded fourth heading into the playoffs, the team’s robot stood out for its inventive use of sensors and advanced spindexer programming.
Both teams are part of a growing robotics program in the Beaver Dam Unified School District that gives students hands-on experience in engineering, coding, CAD design and 3D printing. Beyond the technical skills, the program focuses on problem solving, teamwork, communication and leadership — skills students can carry into future careers.
The district credits the program’s success to support from community and industry partners, including John Deere Horicon Works, Generac, Amsted Automotive, EK Machines, 3M, the Tom Heffron Family and the Wilkins Family.
–Pictured above – LtoR: Robohackerz:
Back: Dylan Carnine, Owen Hemling, Cade Sanders, Jackson Sauer
Front: Carson Kurtz, George Stone, Daryn Thiel, Lindsay Bates
–Pictured above – LtoR: BeaverBots: Tyler Winkel, Cole Hemling, Ethan Pasewald, Miles Wiedenhoeft, Sofia Winkel, Ashton Wilkins.
–Pictured above LtoR: Daryn Thiel, Jackson Sauer, Dylan Carnine, Ethan Pasewald, Ashton Wilkins, Cole Hemling, Tyler Winkel, Cade Sanders, Miles Wiedenhoeft, Carson Kurtz, Owen Hemling, Sofia Winkel, George Stone, Lindsay Bates. (Missing: Scarlet Fister, Vivi Fister, Zach Schade, Alex Kehrmeyer, Ary Nosrati, Lincoln Abel)
