Starting today, Alpena again rolls out the welcome mat to visiting robotics teams from across the state.

Like last weekend, the Alpena High School is host again to a district competition of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics teams.

The competition is good-spirited but intense as students are stretched with problem-solving dilemmas and strategy development, hoping along the way not to be sidetracked with a mechanical mishap. Team chemistry is essential for those students, facing unyielding deadlines, as they must be able to clearly communicate with one another without emotion.

It is both intense and exhilarating, chaotic yet creative, maddening yet magical.

When today’s competitions get underway, it will mark the first time in Michigan’s history that a high school will have hosted two district competitions in the same season.

Forty teams and approximately 1,250 people were expected to have either participated in and/or viewed the events these past eight days.

For our out-of-town guests, we say “welcome.”

For the many volunteers who are working to make these two weekends a success, we say “thank-you.”

We salute all the students and their coaches who have worked hard to get to this point.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)