RoboBots brings together schools, educators, manufacturers, and sponsors in a single program to teach students manufacturing through the building and battling of a combat robot.
RoboBots is high school combat robotics competition that allows high schools to partner with an industry mentor to build a 15 lb combat robot. JuniorBots is the middle school program and students build a 3 lb robot.
Teams are paired with an industry advisor who provides financial assistance and mentorship throughout the six- to seven-month design, build, and test process. The annual RoboBots competition is held on the last Saturday in April, where teams compete for best interview with a panel of judges, best documentation, best engineered, and winner of the cage battles.
Through RoboBots, students explore career pathways and educational opportunities in manufacturing, while manufacturers connect directly with the region’s future workforce.
This educational and workforce initiative was started by the AWT Foundation. The AWT Foundation promotes rewarding manufacturing careers for the long-term sustainability of manufacturing.
The 2026 RoboBots Competition is on Saturday, April 25, at the Lakeland Community College Athletics and Fitness Center (Building Y). The event begins at 8:30 AM and continues until 4 PM, or until all brackets are completed.
This is a community event, free and open to the public. So stop in for concessions and watch the action! Win a raffle basket or enter for the 50/50 raffle. RoboBots is a fun, family-friendly event that supports local middle and high school students.
Watch the livestream below on competition day!
RoboBots and JuniorBots are a great way to learn about the many career paths in manufacturing. You will experience firsthand how to design, engineer, create documentation, assemble, and fabricate a robot with your team and industry advisor. You will be connected with professionals who are excited to see your growth. Contact your school and ask to be a part of RoboBots!
Ask your school about their RoboBots or JuniorBots team. Ready to start a team? Ask a teacher to contact AWT. Stop by the competition on April 25, 2026, and see RoboBots in action.
AWT is a support to you as an educator, connecting you with resources for your students. RoboBots is a great way to introduce manufacturing to your middle and high school students. All you need to get started is interested students and a coach (that can be you!) AWT will guide you through the rest. Review the informational flyer to learn more.
Contact Monica Hammil, Program Coordinator, to get started.
We recommend contacting AWT before the school year begins to secure your industry advisor and team members. Teams will need to be in place by the first of October to ensure students are ready for Kick-Off and have enough time to complete their robot.
Invest in future talent by becoming an Industry Advisor to a RoboBots or JuniorBots team. The Industry Advisor is a technically inclined person who is comfortable using tools to help the team assemble and make parts for their bot. They meet with the team during their scheduled meeting times (normally two hours per week from October until April). During March and April, the time commitment may increase due to testing. The competition is on the last Saturday in April.
Sponsoring the RoboBots program through membership helps shape the future of manufacturing right here in Northeast Ohio. Learn about becoming a member of AWT.
RoboBots has been connecting students to manufacturing opportunities for over 15 years. Watch our documentary film to learn about the program’s beginnings from founders Roger Sustar and Alyson Scott.
See coverage of our 15th-anniversary competition on Channel 3 News’s Growing STEM segment.
The 2026 RoboBots Competition is Saturday, April 25, at the Lakeland Community College Athletics and Fitness Center . The event begins at 8:30 AM and continues throughout the day until 5 PM or until all brackets are completed.
This is a community event, free and open to the public. So stop in for concessions and watch the action! Win a raffle basket or enter for the 50/50 raffle. RoboBots is a fun, family event to support local students in middle and high school. See you there!
Volunteer and be a part of the action!
It takes a lot of help to make RoboBots run smoothly for our students and their families. You can make a difference! Click below to see how you can volunteer.
