On May 12, elementary and high school students from throughout North America met at the Howard Performing Arts Center at Andrews University to compete in the Super Bowl of science competitions in Adventist education: the North American Division Adventist Robotics League Challenge. Teams with creative names, like the Green Electrifiers, Cloud Nine and the Biobots, traveled from Calif., Wash., Va., Tenn. and Mich. to put their skills to the test for this year's challenge theme: Power Puzzle.

Each team designed and built battery-powered robots with miniature computer modules, programmed to navigate a tabletop obstacle course, complete with power lines, windmills, a dam and river, and a satellite.

The overall champions of the competition and the new owners of a Lego-inspired trophy were the Brick Boys of Cleveland, Tenn., a team of home-schooled students.

"This event exemplifies the North American Division Office of Education philosophy of 'Journey to Excellence' in that it creatively inspires students to grow and learn in an authentic environment," said Larry Blackmer, vice president for education for the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. "We're so proud of the nine teams and their dedicated coaches and sponsors who made this memorable opportunity happen for them here at Andrews University."

Robert Moncrieff, news writer, University Relations