(April 2, 2013) — It is no easy task for Team 696, the Circuit Breakers, to work for weeks and make a robot that will have to work with other teams, and help win the other competitors for weeks at different competitions. With the help of many teachers, these students, alongside their mentors, proved their skills at the Los Angeles Regionals that took place from March 21-23, at Long Beach.

Ranking 6th out of 65 other teams, the team was more than happy to share their success. “The competition was amazing. It was energetic, exciting, and a lot of fun,” said senior and president of the Circuit Breakers, Guy Burstein.

“I think we did extremely well, especially considering just how far our team has risen.” The team was also won one of many awards, the Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation. The competition itself was presented by The Roddenberry Foundation, and hosted many teams from all over California, with the exception of one from Chile.

According to the members of Circuit Breakers, with 65 teams at the competition, the team had to make sure to stay on top of their game, and perform their ultimate best. “A team needs to be well organized and very professional to do well, something I think we did,” Burstein said. To prepare for the competition and practice, the team worked for months under the watch of their mentor, teacher David Black.

“We prepared by building two robots and setting up our own field in the school gym,” Burstein said. “I would have liked minor changes but as a whole, I think we ranked among the top teams at the competition.” Although admission was free, the team had minor complaints about the venue.

“The only thing I would improve would be the seating, no one could find enough chairs,” said freshman Shay Sackett. Other than that, the team had nothing but positive comments about the Long Beach competitions, since they placed in the semifinals, and would be heading on for more competitions in San Bernardino, for the Inland Empire Regionals, where they placed second out of 49 teams.