St. Dominic Academy junior Nick Welsh, 17, programs his team’s robot at the Auburn campus Sunday. Welsh is one of 12 students and two mentor coaches from St. Dom’s who will compete during The Pine Tree District FIRST Robotics Competition at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on March 22-24 in Lewiston. The Saint Dominators robotics team started three years ago with four students. Welsh said he and his teammates have learned from prior competitions to “work as hard as we can so we don’t don’t wait til the last minute” while getting their robot ready. Rules state that competing team’s have six hours to work on their robot within one week of the competition. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

The St. Dom’s robotics team has a dedicated room on the Saint Dominic Academy campus in Auburn. Before finding space on campus, the team used space donated by The Strainrite Companies in Auburn. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Matt Roeser, left, and Matt McLean work on building a claw for their robot. “Students do the work,” said lead mentor Randall Roeser. Both Matt Roeser and McLean are two of the founding members of the St. Dom’s robotics team. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Lead mentor Randall Roeser and freshman Dominic Brunetti, 14, work on building a claw for the St. Dom’s robotics team’s robot.  (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Mentor coach Eddie Suckow shows senior Matt Roeser a shortcut Sunday to removing burs by using a drill bit.  (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Freshman Dominic Brunetti, right, 14, gets help from senior Matt McLean, 17, while working Sunday on the Saint Dominators robot at Saint Dominic Academy in Auburn. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)