After much preparation, hard work, and many hours of dedicated practice, the North Augusta High School Robotics Team participated in their first robotics competition, sponsored by the “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST)” organization.  A total of thirty-five students comprising three teams represented North Augusta High as they competed against eighteen other South Carolina high schools for the SC State Robotics Championship.  

With the champion title under the team’s belt, six of the thirty-five members will move on to represent the state in a super-regional competition held in San Antonio, Texas from March 11^th-13^th.  Until then, the team’s major goal is improving their robots; they also need to seek out the aid of new sponsors to help prepare for and fund the San Antonio trip.  This next venture could put North Augusta High “on the map” in the fields of robotics and STEM training.

Organized in September at the start of the 2014-2015 school year, the team has faced numerous financial difficulties, but their intelligence, hard work, and enthusiasm for the STEM fields caught the attention of major sponsors, including “SRNS Nuclear Solutions” and “Almost Heaven Lawn Care,” two local companies.  “Bechtel: Engineering, Construction, & Project Management,” a respected and world-known corporation, has also been a valued sponsor.

 The team credits much of their success to the financial backing and support supplied by their mentors.  Jane Monroe, the team’s organizer and manager, states, “The leadership of this program has been a lot of hard work, but our students have been so into it and inspired, that it has made it all worth it.” 

If you are interested in supporting North Augusta High School’s Robotics Team by funding their trip to San Antonio or by supporting their continued efforts in the field of robotics and STEM research during the next school term, please contact Mrs. Jane Monroe.