Edina's Andrew Peter (from left), Remington Goodenov and Alistair McIntyre pilot the team's robot March 28 at the Minnesota Regional FIRST Robotics Competition at Williams Arena. (SCOTT THEISEN SUN NEWSPAPERS) Browse through more photos taken for this article as well as photos of many other local events and feature articles, in our SUN NEWSPAPERS PHOTO GALLERY , where Sun photographers post many photos every week.

The Edina High School robotics team is going to the national FIRST Robotics competition in Atlanta.

Even though the Edina robotics team was not in the winning three-team alliance at the Minnesota Regional competition last weekend at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, the team earned a trip to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta by winning the coveted Regional Chairman's Award.

"That is the highest award awarded at every regional," said Edina team mentor Susan Lee. "It's not based on how well your robot does. This particular award is awarded to the team that shows the most sustained effort in inspiring others in the field of science, technology and engineering."

When Edina High School started a robotics team three years ago, only one other team in the state had a similar program. Now there are about 50 teams in the state. Lee said the acronym of the competition, FIRST, means For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology.

Therefore the real goal of the competition is getting students focused on teamwork and interested in science and technology.

Robotics teams found out in January what the season's competition was and then had six weeks to build a robot that can complete the challenge.

This year robots had to race around a track carrying giant inflatable balls and throw the balls over hurdles.

Teams design their robot to excel in a particular aspect of the competition, then partner with other teams to complement each other. Edina's robot, nicknamed "Green Machine," was not the fastest robot on the floor of Williams Arena, but it was adept at pushing balls over the hurdles.

"Team members must sell the capabilities of their robot and seek partners whose robot can perform maneuvers that they might lack," Lee said. "It's really a microcosm of real world business."

The FIRST robotics competition is a far cry from BattleBots, where one robot tries to put another robot out of commission. Rather teams need to work together to be successful.

Green Machine team member Mark McCarthy's job was to design the robot on Computer Aided Design programs.

"As a team we decided we wanted to make a really good hurdler," McCarthy said. "I like working collectively."

In addition to the Regional Chairman's Award winner, FIRST operations manager Deb Rose said there were five other teams headed to the championship event from the Minnesota Regional: the regional rookie all-star winner, the regional engineering inspiration award winner and the three regional winners.

The winning alliance consisted of teams from Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa; Edison High School in Minneapolis and Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights.

The championship is April 16-19.

Comment on this story at our website, www.mnsun.com.

Edina's Alistair McIntyre (left) and Andrew Peter move their robot during the Minnesota Regional FIRST Robotics Competition March 28 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. (SCOTT THEISEN SUN NEWSPAPERS) Browse through more photos taken for this article as well as photos of many other local events and feature articles, in our SUN NEWSPAPERS PHOTO GALLERY , where Sun photographers post many photos every week.

In addition to the Regional Chairman's Award winner, FIRST operations manager Deb Rose said there were five other teams headed to the championship event from the Minnesota Regional: the regional rookie all-star winner, the regional engineering inspiration award winner and the three regional winners.

The winning alliance consisted of teams from Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa; Edison High School in Minneapolis and Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights.

The championship is April 16-19.

Comment on this story at our website, www.mnsun.com.