Team 1718 - The Fighting Pi is a FIRST Robotics team from the Macomb Academy of Arts & Sciences (MA2S). MA2S is a regional math and science center for grades 9-12 located in northern Macomb County. We are a part of the Armada Area School district, but for half of the day, students from eight surrounding school districts study honors-level mathematics, science and technology in a four year integrated program that focuses on accelerated learning and problem-solving. Team 1718 is in its seventh year of existence. In our first year, we won the "Rookie All-Star" award at our very first regional competition, which qualified us to attend the Championship Competition, then in Atlanta, Georgia. The team managed to raise the funds necessary to attend that competition and finished as a semifinalist in the Newton division.

The next year, we won a Judges Award at one regional, and at the other, the robot took 1st place. In the third year, again the team won a Judges Award at one of the regional competitions. In 2009, the format of competitions changed due to the large number of teams in Michigan. Three regional competitions became seven district competitions, allowing for teams to participate in more preliminary rounds. A ranking system was devised for the top 64 teams in Michigan to then compete at a state competition. The state competition is set up to allow the same number of teams to go to the World Championship as had been selected from the three regional competitions the state previously had. In our fourth year, we won the Xerox Creativity Award at our first district event, and then we won the Engineering Inspiration Award at our second district event. This qualified us for the State Championship Competition. 2010 was one of our most successful years in terms of both the robotic and business side.

The team was in the top 6 teams at every competition it attended. We also won the Kliener Perkins Caufield and Byers Entrepreneurship Award at the district and Michigan state levels, as well as the most prestigious award FIRST presents, the Chairman's Award at the West Michigan District. We also won the website award and the Coopertition award at the West Michigan District.

Last year, 2011, was again a very successful year in both the robotic and business sides. Team 2604, who we had started and have mentored since 2008, won the Chairman's Award at Kettering District while our rookie Team 3539 won the Waterford District and also the Rookie All-Star Award. Team 3539 went on to win the Rookie All-Star Award at the Troy District, along with Highest Seed Award and was a finalist. They went on to be the number 2 seed in the Archimedes Division at the World Championships proving that Team 1718 starts very successful teams. Meanwhile Team 1718 won the Chairman's Award at the West Michigan District and won the Innovation in Controls Award at the Troy District where our robot went on to be a finalist after beating what was believed to be an unbeatable alliance in the semi-finals. At the State Championship Team 1718 won the Entrepreneurship Award and qualified for the World Championships in St. Louis where we finished as a quarter-finalist in the Archimedes Division. In our six short competition years, the team has consistently participated in the elimination rounds, progressing to the finals on many occasions.