ST. JOSEPH — On Friday March, 9, high schools from all over southwest Michigan participated in the 2018 St. Joseph District Competition at St. Joseph High School.

Not only were the high schools competing against each other, they were also helping each other.

During the game, there are three teams on each side. Those teams become an alliance. Their goal is to defeat the “boss.”

The robots collect power cubes and place them on plates that control switches or the scale. When the switch or scale is tipped in their favor, it is considered to be owned by that alliance. Alliances work together to have ownership for as much as possible.

Teams can earn “power ups” by having their robot deliver power cubes to them, who then place the cube into a vault. Alliances use these power ups to gain a temporary advantage during the game. Finally, the robots have to climb the scale to face the boss.

Awards

• District Chairman’s Award — Grand Blac Community High School

• District Engineering Inspiration Award — Grandville High School

• District Event Winner — Kalamazoo County 4-H

• District Event Winner — Berrien Springs High School

• District Event Winner — Belleville High School

• District Event Finalist — Excel, home school (of Niles)

• District Event Finalist — St. Joseph High School

• District Event Finalist — iCademy Global

• Safety Award, sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories — Grand Haven High School

• Industrial Design Award, sponsored by General Motors — Lakeshore High School

• Highest Rookie Seed — Greenville Senior High School

• Judges’ Award — St. Joseph High School

• Rookie All Star Award — Greenville Senior High School

• Rookie Inspiration Award, sponsored by National Instruments, Battle Creek Central High School

• Entrepreneurship Award, sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers — East Grand Rapids High School

• Team Spirit Award, sponsored by FCA Foundation — Ross Beatty High School

• Gracious Professionalism Award, sponsored by Johnson and Johnson — Edwardsburg High School

• Excellence in Engineering Award, sponsored by Delphi — Excel, home school (of Niles)

• Creativity Award, sponsored by Motorola Solutions Foundation — Berrien Springs High School

• Innovation in Control Award, sponsored by Rockwelll Automation — Zeeland West High School and Zeeland East High School

• Imagery Award, in honor of Jack Kamen — Coloma High School, Watervliet Senior High School, Lake Michigan Catholic Schools, Michigan Lutheran High School and Grace Christian School