Thirty-nine high school robotics teams competed at the 2012 Kettering University FIRST Robotics District Competition March 2-3.  More than 3,000 visitors attended the two-day district competition -- making it the single largest robotics event in Kettering history.

Grand Blanc's Team 2337, the Enginerds, joined with Auburn Hill's Team 33, the Killer Bees, and Lansing's rookie team, Star Trec, Team 4294, to take top competition honors during the district contest in Kettering's Recreation Center.

Winning second place honors was a three-team alliance from Ann Arbor, Canton and Webberville. The silver medal teams are Team 3322, Eagle Imperium of Ann Arbor; Team 862, Lightning Robotics of Canton; and Team 3601, the Spartan Sprockets of Webberville.

See photos and media coverage:
Flint Journal: Read the Flint Journal coverage
Check out the Kettering facebook photo albums from Saturday and Friday
Pictures from Friday by Cindy Kiel
Pictures from Saturday by Daniel Ernst

A number of other awards were presented during Kettering's district this weekend.  The winners are:
Chairman's Award: Raptors, Team 1711, Traverse City
Engineering Inspiration: Enginerds, Team 2337, Grand Blanc
Rookie All-Star: RayderNators, Team 4376, Charlevoix
Industrial Design: Eagle Imperium, Team 3322, Ann Arbor
Quality: The Chimeras, Team 1684, Lapeer.
Engineering Excellence: Wings of Fire, Team 51, Pontiac
Innovation in Control: Martians, Team 494, Goodrich
Creativity: Killer Bees, Team 33, Auburn Hills
Entrepreneurship: Metal and Soul, Team 2604, Capac
Coopertition: Superpower Eagles, Team 326, Romulus
Team Spirit: Dragons, Team 302, Lake Orion
Gracious Professionalism: AfterShock, Team 468, Flushing
Imagery: G.R.A.Y.T. Leviathons, Team 1322, Fenton
Highest Rookie Seed: Trojans, Team 4382, Saginaw
Industrial Safety: RayderNators, Team 4376, Charlevoix
Judges Award: Lightning Robotics, Team 862, Canton
Rookie Inspiration: Star Trec, Team 4294, Lansing
Website: Eagle Imperium, Team 3322, Ann Arbor.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a national effort to inspire careers in engineering, science and technology.  This year’s game is Rebound Rumble, which is played on a court 27 feet wide by 54 feet long with four basketball hoops positioned at different heights and three balancing bridges to challenge the robots.

Michigan's FIRST Robotics state championship will be in Ypsilanti April 12-14, and the national championship is set for St. Louis, Mo., April 26-28.  Kettering’s district was one of 10 in Michigan in March.

Teams in the 2012 Kettering district were:
Team 33, Killer Bees from Auburn Hills
Team 51, Wings of Fire from Pontiac
Team 70, More Martians from Goodrich
Team 302, The Dragons from Lake Orion
Team 314, Big Mo from Flint
Team 322, FIRE from Flint
Team 326, Team Super Power Eagles from Romulus
Team 468, Aftershock from Flint/Flushing
Team 494, Martians from Goodrich
Team 703, Phoenix from Saginaw
Team 862, Lightning Robotics, from Plymouth/Canton
Team 894, Chargers from Flint
Team 1243, Dragons from Swartz Creek
Team 1322, G.R.A.Y.T. Leviathons from Fenton
Team 1502, Technical Difficulties from Chelsea
Team 1504, Desperate Penguins from Okemos
Team 1506, Kettering’s Metal Muscle from Genesee/Oakland Counties
Team 1684, Chimeras from Lapeer
Team 1701, RoboCubs from Detroit
Team 1711, Raptors from Traverse City
Team 2137, Robocats from Oxford
Team 2337, Enginerds from Grand Blanc
Team 2604, Metal & Soul from Capac
Team 2611, Jacktown Vectors from Jackson
Team 2627, Techies from Ann Arbor
Team 3302, Turbo Trojans from Clawson
Team 3322, Eagle Imperium from Ann Arbor
Team 3415, Rams from Montrose
Team 3421, Tachyon Techs from Marysville
Team 3534, House of Cards from Davison
Team 3535, Galak Tech Invaders from Attica
Team 3536, Electro Eagles from Hartland
Team 3537, Delta Force, Indian River
Team 3568, RoboEagles from Linden
Team 3601, Spartan Sprockets from Webberville
Team 3769, Droids from Detroit
Team 4294, StarTrec from Lansing
Team 4376, RayderNators from Charlevoix
Team 4382, SHS Trojans from Saginaw