A robotic team based out of the Elgin Technology Center in downtown Elgin is representing Kane County, Kane County 4-H and the city of Elgin beginning today (Wednesday, April 22, 2015) at the FTC World Championships being held in St. Louis.

The team with the lowercase name “got robot?” will be meeting with a panel of judges, then competing in nine qualifying matches against teams from around the world though Friday. The sem-final and final matches and the award ceremony will be on Saturday. In total, 128 teams out of the more than 4,500 teams around the world will be competing.

At the Illinois State Championship, got robot? team member Chris Laker was selected as one of two finalists representing Illinois for the Dean’s List Award. At the World Championship Opening Ceremony on Thursday, April 23, we will learn if Laker has been selected as one of the top 10 student participants for the FTC 2015 Dean’s List.

Kane County 4-H and FIRST Tech Challenge Team No. 5037 got robot? earned a place at the FTC World Championship after its Feb. 21 performance at the Illinois State FTC Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, where it took home the second-place Inspire Award, third-place Think  Award, and second-place Control Award. Learn more about got robot? at www.gotrobot.us/.

The Elgin area-based team is made up of  local teens, including Bo Russell of South Elgin, Aidan Pollard of St. Charles, Patrick (PJ) Stephen  of Elgin, Kristen McKellar of Elgin; Matthew McKellar of Elgin, Chris Laker of Hanover Park; and Marcos Marquez of St. Charles. The head coach is Michael McKellar of Elgin, and mentors are Carol McKellar of Elgin, Sandy Laker of Hanover Park, Patrick Stephen of Elgin, Matt Times of Schaumburg and Marc Solomon of Fox River Grove.

To learn more about 4-H Youth Development in your county, call 630-584-6166 or visit this page on the Cooperative Extension website.