HASLETT - The Haslett Robotics Club has made record setting achievement in the Michigan Vex State Championship held at MSU. Two teams of the club fought to the finals and one got the highest honor-the excellence award- in the tournament. These teams also won the tickets to the world championship in the spring.

The Haslett Vex Robotics teams have won a number of awards since they were established five years ago. The oldest team Vex Raptors got the excellence award in the 2014 world championship and the 2015 statement championship.

Coach Claus Buchholz said a lot of factors contributed to the team's achievement. "They got a lot of experiences. They started from middle school. We have great help. One of our coaches, Kim Schramm, she is a retired General Motors engineer. She trains them how to do the engineering process."

Besides honors and trophies, the club benefits its members in various ways, said Coach Kim Schramm, "We teach things like goals setting, doing reviews, and tracking your progress towards goals, and a lot of things. Team building is a good one. And networking, to be able to reach out and talk to others, to look them in the eye, to shook their hands in a professional manner."

As the only girl, Hannah Kempel has been with the Raptors team since seventh grade. She said robotics has shaped her life.
"I met a lot of friends that I wouldn't meet otherwise, and I've gained life skills that I've never got. I actually got a job because of the skills I learned from robotics."

The Raptors and another of the Haslett Robotics Club teams - the VEX Dragons- will join in the 2015 world championship on April 14 to 18th in Louisville, where they will compete with more than 800 teams from 25 countries.