Who We Are
Team 3197 – the Hexhounds – is Cedarburg High School’s official FIRST Robotics Competition team, proudly founded in 2010. We bring together over 30 students from freshmen to seniors, boys and girls with diverse talents in engineering, programming, design, and leadership to build innovative robots and compete at a high level.
Our Mission
Changing the Culture of STEM in Our Community.
Team 3197 – the Hexhounds – is dedicated to inspiring students through hands-on STEM experiences, teamwork, and innovation. We aim to build not only competitive robots, but also future leaders and problem-solvers.
Robotics is considered a varsity sport at our high school due to our advocacy with the athletic director & administration at school. Our competition uniform which includes an orange bowtie represents the evolving school culture of STEM acceptance.
Our History
What began in a closet with the desire of six kids to build a robot, has become an award-winning team located in the Cedarburg High School Technology Innovation Center. STEM is exciting it is constantly changing. Our team meets this demand by bringing our community into the world of robotics. Noticing the need for a new STEM curriculum, the Cedarburg STEM Advisory Team was created in 2016 and consisting of HexHound students, mentors, & alumni working alongside teachers & local industry leaders. Together, the group worked to advocate for up-to-date STEM facilities & curriculum in all CSD schools through school board presentations and meetings with the CSD superintendent.
One of the greatest achievements in our community was passing a $59.8 million referendum in 2018, valued at $59.8 million, securing $16 million for funding focused on “equipping students with experiences in…advanced manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence, & coding, which are critical for future employability”. Team outreach was the driving factor to initialize the referendum. 3197 promoted STEM & FIRST to inform 9,495 total voters, allowing it to pass in fall of 2018. The WILO Foundation, part of WILO – a German manufacturing company also provided a grant for a full-size robotics field in our high school Technology Innovation Center, one of the first teams in Southeastern Wisconsin with a dedicated competition field. The funding also established a permanent Project Lead the Way curriculum & incorporated VEX IQ robotics to all Cedarburg schools.
Beyond our advocacy for district curriculum and facilities, Team 3197 focuses on community outreach through our participation with local Girl Scouts, CHS Coding Club, Cedarburg festivals, Chamber Pumpkin Carving and an annual STEM Pancake Breakfast. Our team fosters collaboration, creativity, and a passion for technology — all while having fun and making a lasting impact.