The robot on the workbench is missing two wheels and most of its wiring. That is not a crisis for the Saginaw High robotics team; it is the point of the summer build season.

Students rotate between design, fabrication, programming, and outreach. Older members teach the technical basics, while younger members learn that a good solution often begins with documenting why the first one failed.

The team is raising funds for travel and replacement parts before the fall competition calendar begins. Coaches say the program's strongest result is not always the ranking at the end of a tournament.