"a challenging project at AAA Robotic Centre, BBB College" Elaborate the information

Hello everyone.
I am a new member here and this is my first post.
English is not my mother tongue and I am not very good at it :[
I had to write an elaboration essay as part of my undergraduate admission.
I had prepare a draft. It was about a prize that me and my group won at a robotic contest.
Can anyone please check my essay and help me?

#Assignment instruction
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This section is an opportunity for you to elaborate on the information you have provided earlier. You may wish to discuss a special talent, a personal experience or an activity that you have been involved in that is of relevance to the course that you are applying for at the university.

As there is only limited space (2000 characters), you are encouraged to present your ideas in focused and thoughtful manner.

#My draft
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For my final year project, I had the opportunity to do a challenging project at AAA Robotic Centre, BBB College. Our project group has to design and build an intelligent robot to compete in CCC Robot Contest at DDD Robotic Games. At the competition, the robot needs to pick up 7 balls, 4 cans and 4 boxes; and deliver to their respective goals. During the project, I learned how to design schematic diagrams and printed circuit boards (PCBs) using Cadstar; how to draw mechanical designs using Ironcad and how to develop programs using Codewarrior IDE. Our project group consists of four students. I designed and built the robotic arm, the gripper, and the wheels, developed a program to determine the type and position of the objects using the laser sensor and developed a program to control the base of the robotic arm using a motor. It was challenging because, at the AAA Robotic Centre, we were the first group that uses a laser sensor and a robotic arm. It required a lot of research and testing. There were many bugs when we integrated our programs. However, with good teamwork and determination, all the bugs were eventually solved and we gained a lot of troubleshooting experience. On the 4th of February 2011, we competed in CCC Robot Contest at DDD Robotic Games and won 1st runner up prize which makes our efforts worthwhile.

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Thanks a lot! :)

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This is actually pretty interesting to hear that you competed in this contest and won. I just think that you need to elaborate more and include more of how entering this competition was so worthwhile because of the experienced you gain. Talked about the chemistry you had working with your other team mates because a college loves the fact that you know how to work well with others. Other than that its cool :)

Thank you very much auds. I really appreciate it.

lol no problemo :)

Let's shave off these unnecessary words at the start:
For my final year project, I had the opportunity to do a challenging project at AAA Robotic Centre, BBB College. Our project group has to design and build an intelligent robot to compete in CCC Robot Contest at DDD Robotic Games. ---By doing that, I take away a piece of information, but it is not a piece of information that helps to show the reader how serious you are. So, we trim it away, and the sentence becomes more powerful.

At the competition, the robot needs to pick up 7 balls, 4 cans and 4 boxes; and deliver to their respective them to a location several meters away.---I changed the end of this sentence for clarity.

And let's keep it in the past tense:
... and won 1st runner up prize which makes made our efforts worthwhile.

:-)