On February 20th, Elk Grove Village High School hosted the 2026 Robot Rumble where our very own Engineering Club emerged victorious. The contest saw 43 different robots representing at least 15 different schools in direct competition.
The Engineering Club, sponsored by Mr. Cisneros, gives students the opportunity to work on exciting interdisciplinary engineering projects that push the limits of creativity. Through mechanical design, power electronics, and structural planning, members develop real-world engineering skills while building innovative machines.
One of the club’s most exciting activities is the annual Robot Rumble, a competition where students design and operate remotely controlled, armored robots built for combat. These machines face off in an arena in an elimination-style tournament, testing both the strength of the robots and the creativity of their designers. But the competition and victory are not Mr. Cisneros’s main concern.
“I want students to develop leadership skills and learn how to work effectively as part of a team,” says Mr. Cisneros. “That development is more meaningful than any trophy.”
While the idea of battle bots might sound like it’s only about destruction, the competition is really about engineering, strategy, and innovation. Students dedicate hours to designing, testing, and improving their robots in order to give them the best chance of winning. The experience can provide a hands-on foundation for future careers. So the machines provide students with a chance to learn and explore.
Watching footage of the Robot Rumble reveals a wide variety of unique machines, each equipped with different weapons and defensive designs. Some robots rely on powerful weapons to attack their opponents, while others focus on strong armor and durability to outlast the competition. Ingenuity is key, since all the work needs to come in on a budget, which drives design and construction.
SHS Engineering took the opportunity to get creative. “Our team, to the best of my knowledge, is the only school that uses suspension in their design, [which] helped us to win,” said Abraham Thomas.
This year’s event featured impressive performances from local teams, especially from Schaumburg High School. Several student-built robots stood out during the competition.
Robots Gort, Kawaiitron, A$AP Richy, and Jarvis each won one or more matches during Robot Rumble 2026, which took place on Friday, February 20. The event was filmed live on YouTube by EGHS Multimedia, allowing viewers to watch the action and creativity of the competition.
Events like Robot Rumble show how engineering can be both educational and exciting, giving students the chance to apply their knowledge, work as a team, and bring their designs to life in a real competition.
Mr. Cisneros notes that, “these experiences develop resilience, accountability, technical competence, and leadership in ways that are difficult to reproduce in a traditional classroom setting.”
If you’re interested in learning more, join Engineering Club and check out battles of the Rumble on YouTube.