Robots have long been heralded as the agents of the future—miraculous beings that move and operate due to intricate design and complex engineering. These mighty machines sometimes seem to have a life of their own, but at Mission Hills High School, they are under the expert control of Sara Huffman (11), president of the Iron Kodiak Robotics Club.

   “The president of the robotics club came to my engineering class my freshman year to talk about what they do as a team, and started describing her experiences with nothing but love for the program. Looking back, it was that president of robotics that inspired me to not only get involved, but to also one day follow in her footsteps and lead the team as their president,” Huffman said.

   Right now, Huffman is helping the team prepare to succeed in robotics competitions in March. If the Iron Kodiaks do well in the March competitions, Huffman hopes to lead the team to the championships, which are held in Houston, Texas towards the end of April.

   “The idea of going to massive events, meeting other teams, and building robots is super appealing to me! Robotics is such a unique community with a competitive spirit; teams are extremely generous and will always go out of their way to help the other,” Huffman said. 

   Unlike a class where the teacher assigns projects and there are firm deadlines, Huffman organizes the robotics club in a way that allows the participants the freedom to explore, have hands-on interaction with the technology behind robot construction, and to choose what they want to build. Engineering and creativity collide as Huffman gives students the tools to gain both mechanical insight and critical thinking skills. 

   “As president, Sara assists with running meetings, and she is in charge with touching base with the electrical group, mechanical group, programming group, PR group, and fundraising groups. Sara makes sure that everyone is on track, and if anyone has questions or needs support, she makes sure they have the answers,” said Mrs. Carl, the club’s advisor.

   Huffman’s love for the gracious professionalism of robotics has inspired her to continue her work as the Iron Kodiak president. Sara’s love for robot construction has never waned, and she is looking forward to leading Iron Kodiak Team 5137 to victory in future contests.