Bainbridge High’s Robotics team will be competing against the best robotics teams in the world at the FIRST Robotics World Championship.

At a recent District Championship in Cheney, Spartronics Team 4915 finished ranked 16 out of 155 teams from Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

Clio Batali is the student drive team coach and co-captain of spartronics. Batali said that the competition in Cheney was some of the best she’s seen this year.

“There was incredibly skilled competition at the event, with some of the best driving and teamwork we’ve seen all season,” Batali said.

“I’m so proud of how well we were able to stack up against these teams, and I know we’re all excited to have earned the opportunity to take HELIOS to Houston,” she added.

For their outstanding performance, the team has earned the opportunity to pit their robot, HELIOS, against some of the best robotics teams the world has to offer.

Once more, Spartronics will be traveling to the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston, Texas. This will make it the third time the four-year-old robotics team will be competing at the championship, a milestone which few of the 6,771 registered FIRST teams worldwide have achieved.

Spartronics coach Enrique Chee said he’s grateful to those who have made it possible for the team to compete.

“We really are tremendously thankful for the incredible support of our sponsors and especially local businesses, our volunteer professional mentors who have put in countless hours to support our students, and especially our parents and this community who has been enormously supportive in cheering us on to success. Without these three things, we would not be going to Worlds,” Chee said.

After their performance in Cheney, BHS Junior Jonathan Coonan was one of five students named a dean’s list finalist, the first time a Spartronics member has advanced to Worlds for this recognition.

Coonan serves as the team’s co-captain and marketing lead and will be representing the Pacific Northwest at a VIP luncheon with FIRST co-founder Dean Kamen, where the dean’s list winners will be announced.

“I am grateful and deeply humbled by this. It’s an experience I will never forget,” Coonan said of his nomination.

More than two dozen team members were Texas-bound on Wednesday for the competition which will last until Saturday. You can follow the team on their journey by visiting their website at www.spartronics4915.com.