Clarkston High School’s robotics team, Team RUSH 27, celebrated being the number one team in the state one last time, as they ended the year with an awards ceremony on June 9.

The ceremony included various awards for sponsors, mentors, parents, and students. Diana Marsala was named “Most Valuable Student,” Most Valuable Junior Students were Ben Halcrow and Haley Velisek, “Most Improved Student” was Damon Rothrock and Most Valuable New Student was Valentina Vargas.

RUSH Team Leader Kyle Hughes said the past 20 years of teaching and leading robotics with her husband Dennis, who originally “wanted nothing to do with it,” has been “inspiring.”
“Twenty years of blood, sweat and tears has been inspiring. Inspiring is: losing, learning, and turning things around, learning to never give up, watching the kids learn to never give up. Working until you can no longer keep your eyes open, but you do (and) sharing with others and others wanting to learn from us,” Hughes added. “The fact we keep on doing what we are doing… that’s inspiring.”