Barrington High School's team works on their robot during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
Stiles Garverick, a senior from Crawfordsville High School in Indiana, makes adjustments during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
Teams compete during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
From left, Marty Bergquist, Mitchell Plamann, and Eric Hansen, from Homestead High School in Mequon, Wis., control their robot during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
Sam Wells, 15, a sophomore from Barrington High School, works on the teams robot during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
William Harper, 14, from Lane Tech College Prep, works on his team's robot during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
A.J. Priola, center, 15, a sophomore from Barrington High School, controls his team's robot during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
Robots performs tasks during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
Alex Deyoung, 17, a senior at Christian Covenant High School in Grand Rapids, Mich., makes adjustments during the the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship at the Illinois Institute of Technology's Hermann Hall in Chicago, Ill., on Saturday, December 8, 2012. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media
Middle and high school students compete in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge Illinois State Championship. 32 teams competed for the championship, held at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and the winners qualify to compete in the FIRST FTC …
