Those students were members of the Saratoga Robotics Team, a club at Saratoga High that offers students of any grade level the opportunity to practice engineering skills.

Junior Chris Yang, 15, junior Irene Fan, 16, junior Jayant Krishnamurthy, 15, junior Thomas Lin, 16, junior Stacey Lin, 15, and junior Jessica Kuo, 15, joined by Monta Vista High School senior Frank Wang, 17, were creating an autonomous underwater vehicle for the AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International) Naval Competition held in San Diego on Aug. 3 and 4.

As one of only two high schools to compete against colleges such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Cornell University, Saratoga took 11th place among the 15 competitors. More impressive, however, was that the team did this on a budget of only $1,100, while most other teams spent upwards of $20,000 or more on their submersible robots.

"We did really well for what we had," Yang says. "I definitely feel more confident after competing against MIT."

Team members agreed with Yang, smiling while comparing their work to other teams who had spent $14,000 on sonar units. They added that MIT, the competition's winner, likely spent more than most of the teams combined.

"We did really well, considering," Fan says. "Some of the technology was above our level, but we still did it."

To prepare, the team began working in April, spending several hours after school working on the project. Through the summer and up to competition day, members worked anywhere from eight- to 14-hour days.

Different members worked on different elements of the robot. Yang and Krishnamurthy, who have been involved with computer programming since junior high, worked on the programming with help from Wang.

Other members, including Fan and Thomas Lin, worked on the conceptualization and assembly process.

The submarine challenge was a first for the group. The two-year-old team had previously only competed in the US FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition. Generally more of the 30-member Saratoga Robotics team joins in the effort for this competition, as contestants only have six weeks to prepare the robot.

The time constraint is an important aspect of the FIRST organization, which does not disclose the topic of the challenge until Jan. 4. From that point to the actual competition day in Florida, the team will spend three to four hours daily after school and as much time as possible on the weekends in preparation.

Saratoga's team has done well in the past and thoroughly enjoys the challenge. There are only two things that continually stand in their way--funds and space to work.

Since the team's inception, room at the high school has been scarce. "We've been moved from sheds to janitor closets," Krishnamurthy says. In past competitions the group has done some work at school or at their own homes, but often they have had to use the Los Gatos High School facilities.

"We beg and beg for room, but money is money," Yang says. "Building outside of your own machine shop is just not the same. We need a place to work."

The team builds the robot parts piece by piece and must transport them back and forth between different work spaces. Transportation itself is a challenge, as most members are only 15 years old and cannot drive. Not having a space also limits the size of the team, which is something they would like to see changed.

Funding is an even larger problem. The FIRST competition costs $5,000 just to enter, and total estimated costs, including those for fees, construction and travel, come to nearly $20,000.

"We are always looking for financial help," Fan says. "But with the economic downturn it is very hard to get any corporate funding. We are now hoping for some community involvement and donation."

Due to funding issues, the group is considering holding off on competing for a year or two. In this time they hope to rally more local support that could at least secure them the hefty entry fee.

Despite funding problems, however, the team is making great strides. Now that several team members have been involved for more than a year, the team is better able to help newcomers understand some basic engineering concepts.

Currently the team has some time to get prepared and seek space and funding while also holding weekly information meetings and building test robots.

On Oct. 3, the group will have a meeting for parents. The goal is to explain what they do as an organization and ask for support from community members, particularly as mentors.

For more information about advising or being a financial supporter, visit the team's website at www.saratogarobotics.com.