The lead robotics team from the Calhoun Career and Technical Center wasted little time in reaching their goal earning first place in the Mississippi VEX Competition to advance to nationals next month.
“It was an exhilarating experience,” Christian Buenrostro of Vardaman said.
“Surreal,” responded Tyler Donovan of Bruce.
The team and their alliance partners, New Hope High School and Madison Central Career and Technical Center, will compete for a world championship in Louisville, Kentucky April 15-18.
“It was surprisingly amazing,” Jadwin Manuel said of winning state.
“It’s a life long experience,” Ethan Straider said.
The team of Vuenrostro, Manuel, Donovan and Straider, along with the Calhoun Career Center’s “B” robotics team still have another state competition remaining – the Mississippi Technology Student Association VEX State competition March 16-18 in Jackson. A win there would advance them to the TSA National Championship in Dallas in June.
This is the first year of the new robotics class taught by Jennifer Bennett, which was featured in the Feb. 18 edition of The Journal.
To help raise money to pay for the trip to the world championship in Louisville, the team is hosting a Robotics Camp this week for 3rd-8th graders.
They will host two sessions: 3rd-5th graders, 8-11:30 a.m. Wednesday-Friday, March 11-13 and 6th-8th graders, 12-4 p.m.
They will hold a competition for the kids to show off their robots on Friday evening at 5 p.m.
For more information call Jennifer Bennett at 662-983-5628.