The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

OTTUMWA, IOWA -- High School students from around southeast Iowa gathered at Indian Hills Community College Saturday to battle it out; with robots!

The event, sponsored by John Deere and Al-Jon, is called the First Tech Challenge.

The challenge takes 18 teams of high school students and pins them against one another. The robots compete in several challenges, including moving crates and bowling balls around an obstacle course.

The machines took months to build, and as Indian Hills Community College Professor Jeff Henderson told KTVO, the competition is just another way to get high school students interested in math and science.

"The push is that students will see the value of science, engineering and math. That they will want to pursue a career into those fields whether it be engineering as a technician like at the Indian Hills or another program," said Henderson.

Saturday's event was a qualifier for the competition. Winners will now head to Iowa City to compete in the state competition at The University of Iowa. The world finals will take place in Saint Louis in the coming months.