SUSSEX, Wis (CBS 58) -- STEM programs have been blowing up across the country.

On Sunday, Feb. 22, hundreds of students from around the state built their own robots to compete in the Sussex Scrimmage.

It's the 26th year Hamilton High School's robotic team, Charger Robotics, has hosted the mock competition.

"The high school students get an opportunity to test their robots before an actual competition," said Morgan Swartzendruber, Co Advisor for Charger Robotics Team 537. 

The real matches are put on by First Robotics Competition (FRC), an international high school program where students build, design and compete with their robots. They announce what the challenge will be in January. 

"This year they have to get these yellow balls which are called fuel; there's these center baskets that collect the fuel then the end game is where the robots can climb rungs it's a horizonal monkey bars where robots can climb and the higher they get the more points they get for the end game," Swartzendruber explained. 

The Sussex Scrimmage is only six weeks after the FRC announces the challenge, leaving some students to code and construct down to the wire.

"We finished last night, we've been putting in the work," said Rylan, Cheese Curd Herd Head Senior Captain.

This scrimmage will make sure they students are ready for the real deal.

"Our goal is to get some of those distances and shooter power and use some of the cameras we have installed on the robot in order to help compete at our first competition in 2-3 weeks," said Logan, Cheese Curd Herd Mentor.

"She's swerve drive we have an intake out front that will suck up all the balls that will go into our spin decker will follows up to our shooter and it will just shoot we have auto aim so we can go anywhere in the field and automatically score," said Rylan.

While some it's a hobby others hope it carries them into their future.

"The earlier the students are able to start in robotics; it's a pipeline through their high school career. It's not uncommon for our students to get internships while there in high school which is great for local companies because they are already entering the workforce with those skills," said Swartzendruber.