By Wendi Reardon Price
Clarkston News Staff Writer

Deer Lake Beach was full of excitement as Clarkston High School Team RUSH 27 Robotics students battled in cardboard and duct tape boats in the annual RUSH Regatta, July 9.
“This actually was the most competitive regatta we have ever had,” said Coach Kyle Hughes. “The students were head to head in all the categories. And then the race was a great tournament with lots of excitement. If you haven’t been to one in the past, you really need to come and see this. It is so much fun! The beaches were packed at Deer Lake, watching the cardboard boats go in and most of them making it. There was one boat that didn’t make it, and all they had to say was, ‘I have learned so much.’ That makes it all worth it.”
Teams went in competing for the ultimate prize – the RUSH Regatta Cup, which goes to the team with the highest combined score in the three categories – Cash Crusaders, Enterprising and Seaworthy Sailors and Wicked Fast Watercraft.
It was a tie this year but Team 5 won the tiebreaker with Daniel Bradstreet, Cameron Stark, Zach Torres, Lauren Sielinski and Aubrey Spencer taking the RUSH Cup.
Team 3 with Alison Scheil, Christopher Manwaring, AJ Edwards, Paul Hanley and Jack Ceo finished as Cash Crusaders, the team which raised and collected the most money for their boats. At the day of the race, they brought in $4,332.
Enterprising and Seaworthy Sailors, which is scored on presentation skills, discussing their engineering prowess and their entrepreneurial expertise with judges before the race, went to Team 6, with Ash Brooks, Devan Wcisel, Garin Pfeiffer, Milo Dost and Charles Goodrich.
Wicked Fast Watercraft, the fastest boat, went to Team 2, with Leo Gach, Sam DeKoninck, Noah Gedraitis, David Akers and Rebekah Leininger.
Team RUSH brought in just over $40,000 in pledges for sponsorships for their boats, short of their $45,000 goal. The money raised offsets the costs to travel to the World Championship in April 2023.
“RUSH fund raises now so they can support the community through younger robotics programs in the fall, and train to learn more, preparing them for their competitive season starting in January,” Hughes shared. “They are currently meeting all summer on Special Projects, to learn more including CAD training, 3D printing, manufacturing and laser cutting.”
The team also raised over $700 for the John Lafata Heart Scholarship with food and raffle proceeds. Lafata was a student on Team RUSH. At 16 years old, had a massive heart attack and passed away.
“We have never forgotten John. By having this scholarship go out to one student each year who resembles the wonderful characteristics and unselfish heart that John had towards Team RUSH,” Hughes said.
Team RUSH is in their 27th year of robotics and being team No. 27 they are celebrating.
Hughes shared each month on the 27th they will play games. Also, they have #27everywhere. Take a photo of where you see the number 27 and post it with the hashtag and tag Team RUSH. More to come in a future edition.

PHOTO: From left, Aubrey Spencer, Daniel Bradstreet, Rebekah Leininger and Cameron Stark in Team 5 row their cardboard and cardboard boat in the annual RUSH Regatta. Photo: Dale Schnepp