Students in Yonkers spent a week building an programming robots - and on Friday, put their creations and skills to the test.

The students battled it out at the Yonkers Police Athletic League on Friday, using bots and blocks to score points - and beat their opponents.

The bots were built and controlled by the participants, who were assisted by their captains and mentors.

The program helps promote what competitor Jung Hwanbo calls "engineer thinking."

"It's when you think of a creative way, unlike the other ways!" says Hwanbo.

Coach Adam Thiessen says the program is a great way to keep students engaged and learning.

"It's great. They spend little, very little time on their cellphones here," says Thiessen.

Anyone interested in learning more or joining the PAL Robotics team can reach out to Coach Thiessen at athiessen@yonkerspublicschools.org.