Eggs, gravel, and glory: NWTC wins robotics challenge

Four NWTC Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) students took first place in the 16th Annual Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Robotics Challenge. 

The four students built, designed, and programmed their robot and participated in the competition as part of their semester long capstone class – a required course that allows students to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and understanding developed throughout the program.  

The group included Paul Neklewicz, Braeden Tadisch, Jacob Lemmens, and Luke Andrews. Two EET instructors, Jake Morois (pictured left in the above photo) and Kevin Grabian (pictured right in the above photo), served as the team’s advisors. 

During the competition, robots were tasked with carrying an egg, avoiding a gravel pit, and other missions (see "About the Competition," below). 

Working on a robot with classmates all semester isn’t just about programming, testing, and prototyping – it’s about working together as a team and staying organized.  

“It really gets them involved in the team dynamic of decision making and figuring out whose strengths fit into which bucket of work. The students also learn early on that they need to start documenting things better and have proper drawings. These are skills that, as engineers, they need to be successful,” Grabian said. 

A tough start leads to first place

NWTC’s first mission in the competition did not go as planned. Neklewicz, Tadisch, Lemmens, and Andrews thought it was going be their strongest mission. Instead, they ended up with a DNF – did not finish – because their robot, Kèvin, was unable to stay within the designated course. 

“Even after a tough start, they pulled together and executed well. Their teamwork, technical skill, and perseverance earned them a well-deserved first place finish – a huge accomplishment and something they should be extremely proud of,” Grabian said. 

From left to right, Tadisch, Andrews, Lemmens, and Neklewicz working together on Kèvin weeks before the competition.

At the beginning of the capstone class, building a robot and competing in a robotics challenge seemed very overwhelming, according to Neklewicz. “As the course went on, it became easier, and it actually became very fun. We hung out and we learned a lot,” Neklewicz said. 

About the competition 

This year, six teams from WTCS schools competed at Madison Area Technical College (MATC) in the robotics competition. 

Teams were awarded points based on their performance in five missions and a presentation and design documentation. The five missions were: 

• Race: The robot needed to autonomously stay within two lines along a 20-foot course and navigate through a gravel pit area located in the center of the track. 
• Brick Loaded Race: Using the same course, the robot had to avoid the gravel pit entirely, reenter the course, turn around in a designated area, and return. 
• Three Wall Challenge: The robot scanned barcodes on different blocks to determine point values, displayed the point total, and then knocked over blocks to maximize score. 
• Firefighting: The robot was required to autonomously follow a zigzagging lined course. 
• Egg Carry: This was the only driver-controlled mission. The operator could not see the field directly and had to rely on a camera system mounted on the robot to pick up an egg, navigate an obstacle course, and place the egg on a platform. 

The first four missions were autonomous, meaning the robot used sensors and programming to make decisions without direct human intervention. In the last mission, a driver controlled the robot, but they could not see the course directly, so they relied on teammates and the robot’s camera to navigate the course. 

In between missions, teams were allowed to make adjustments to their robots for a set amount of time. 

The group's robot, Kèvin, practicing before the 2025 WTCS Robotics Challenge.

About the EET program

The EET program at NWTC prepares students for careers such as electrical technicians, field service technicians, and more. Some of the skills students learn for these careers are how to operate test equipment, programming, troubleshooting, CAD design, 3D printing, and problem solving. 

“These are skills students can carry into virtually any industry, and they provide a solid foundation for those who choose to continue toward a bachelor’s degree,” Grabian said.