42 people and 25 hours a week; a quantification of LZHS’ Robotics team dedication to building Smokey 18, their new robot for the 2025 season. However, the numbers do not supply the full picture of what Robotics has done. 

Recently, Robotics has worked with Schweitzer Engineering Labs who granted them a mechanical arm, valued around $20,000. Robotics says that they will use this arm to have their new robot fulfill its new goal. 

“Each year there’s different tasks that the robot has to do. So this year, we have to take coral, which is a PVC pipe, and we have to put it on four different tiers. And then we also take large kick balls, and we have to move those around,” Matthew Nesheim, junior and president of Robotics, said.

While working on building their robot, the club supplies ways for students to do “a lot of teaching and learning,” according to Nesheim. 

“All of the older students will help the younger students learn about engineering and more about STEM opportunities,” Nesheim said. “[As for me, I joined Robotics because] I’m interested in the engineering field. Robotics is the closest club that the school offers to be able to participate in engineering activities outside of school.”

Arya Kandaswamy, senior and driver of Robotics, is one of those people who says Robotics has taught him a great deal. 

“I think I’m most proud of the stuff I’ve learned in this club. When I joined, I didn’t know much [about Robotics], but the mentors and all the upperclassmen have taught me a lot,” Kandaswamy said. 

Although Robotics is often a lot to handle, Nesheim and others agree that having others along the way makes it worth the struggle.

“[I enjoy] the teamwork and collaboration that it takes to make the robot,” Nesheim said. “One person, even with a lot of time, wouldn’t be able to do it, but when you have a team, it makes it a lot more manageable.”