Mark Moulton thinks folks who work in science, technology, mathematics and engineering are heroes.

Moulton, a math teacher at La Crescent High School, is trying to create a few more heroes by getting kids involved in the science and math fields.

Welcome to Sir Lancer Bots, a robotics team set to compete in a regional competition put together by the non-profit organization FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

With a team of 10 to 12 students, Moulton said, they will go to the Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis on Jan. 3 and get a kit of parts and a game manual.

They’ll have six weeks to design and build a robot that will compete with other teams from the state in an April competition.

“I do it because I love it,” Moulton said. “I went to the competition last year and it was probably the most exciting competition I’ve ever seen in my life.”

David Schroeder, CEO of Ace Communications Group, said the company is one of the event’s sponsors.

“It’s just the natural extension of our business,” Schroeder said. “Anything we can do to encourage people, young people n at an early age n to be in this business, then we stand the chance of reaping from that.”

Moulton said the La Crescent team, who is going for the first time, is still looking for more students and more sponsors.

They’re also looking for mentors, he said. One of the unique aspects of the program is students have the opportunity to work with professional engineers n like retired Trane electrical engineer Paul Ulland of La Crescent. He’ll mentor the kids during the six-week build period.

"This is a very challenging program, and it offers a lot to these kids. It will be challenging to mentors, as well as students," Ulland said.

Dave Foye of La Crosse, who is an engineer at Trane, will also be mentoring. He’s worked with the youth before, like Ulland, and sees this as a special opportunity.

"A lot of the students see that these jobs are around, but it's not real to them,” Foye said. “They also don't understand that it's not only humanly possible, but it's easy for them because many of them are excellent students."

Steven Abnet, 15, said he’s looking forward to building the robots, but he’s also looking forward to working with the mentors.

"I think it's kind of a privilege that we'll be working with someone who's been doing this so long, and who's really smart at it n someone who can teach me how to do it," Abnet said.

Josh Thesing, 15, said he thinks the whole thing is totally cool.

"Just building it and putting it together and testing it out, just getting excited for the big event," Thesing said.

Marie Affeldt, 15, said her dad is an electrician, she said, and her love of building and understanding things comes from him.

“If I'm really bored I'll go out there when he's doing his work, so I've always been really interested in that," Affeldt said.

For Christopher Bischke, 15, it’s the programming aspect that attracts him to the team.

"It's pretty much the brain of the robot,” Bischke said. “It's quite unique because it's pretty much copying the human body."

It’s also unique because his dad, Al, is one of the mentors.

"It's just like normal,” Christopher said, of working with his dad. “I always program at home with him. I've created some games with him."

For Al, it’s more than normal. It’s a dream come true.

Al Bischke and his wife, Donna, moved to La Crescent four years ago from New York.

"My son, since he was five years old, always wanted to build a robot with me,” Al said. “I worked in Manhattan, I worked long hours and never had the time."

Al credits Donna with making the event happen, because she’s spent so much time helping with the organizing and getting the word out.

For his part, Moulton said he’s excited about the six weeks the team will be working together.

"It's just cool to see what the students can do when they're actually challenged," Moulton said.