INDIANAPOLIS — Some students at Pike High School have built something extraordinary - a robot.
They're part of the Vex Robotics Team and just got the opportunity of a lifetime - to compete in the Robotics World Championship in Dallas next week.
It's the first time in school history the RoboDevils have qualified for the world competition. They even raised more than $20,000 to attend.
"This design right here, we had the claws that move up and down so that we could move them and bring them all the way up at the same time," said sophomore Rodney Britten, the robot's driver.
Junior Demico Southern is also on the team. He, like many other students, have been into robotics since elementary school.
"You go through all these steps to design, prototype and build the robot, so you can't just go in and start cutting pieces, you've gotta have a plan at first," said Southern.
The team showed off a similar layout, or small padded area, they will use to compete in the championship.
"The main part of the game is to try and score as many points as possible," said Britten as he used a game controller to maneuver the robot up and down ramps.
"There's a thing called a program run and when you do that the driver is not in control at all and the robot will do everything by himself," said Britten.
For other students on the team, it's fascinating to see the outcome of their hard work.
"It's my favorite thing to do. Even in your imagination, building things is good to see how and what you can develop or create," said sophomore Christopher Redding Jr.
Redding's mom couldn't be more excited.
"I'm the proudest person on the planet. I'm so proud of all of them, super proud of my son for hanging in there. It can be confusing sometimes when you come in and all the kids know what they're doing but you, but he's in there doing it," said Jeanette Ibro.
Students leave for Dallas next week. The competition will run May 5-7.