KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) — Robotics teams from Cinco Ranch, Jordan, Mayde Creek, Paetow, Seven Lakes and Tompkins high schools competed in this year's UIL State Competition, with Cinco Ranch emerging as division finalist. With that win, the team qualifies for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition World Championship, which will take place this month at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.
"Our students have spent months preparing for this year's competition, spending time after the school day and on weekends here at the Shaw Center to work on their robots," said Stephen Adams, facility coordinator at Katy ISD's Shaw Center for STEAM. "I want to commend all our students, their families and team mentors for their dedication, innovation and creativity. It was inspiring to see them competing among the state's best."
Because of the sheer volume of teams competing across the state, teams were divided into two divisions, the Apollo and Mercury divisions, named for former NASA mission programs. Mayde Creek, Paetow and Seven Lakes competed in the Apollo division, while Cinco Ranch, Jordan and Tompkins competed in the Mercury division.
Jordan High School's team was named semifinalist in the Mercury division and received special recognition for creativity.
This year's FIRST competition, Reefscape, was inspired by ocean exploration and discovery, and challenged students to think critically about how robotics and engineering can aid scientists in learning more about the world's most complex ecosystems. Students were tasked with building robots that can put "coral" on a reef, lift "algae" onto a barge and hang from a "shark cage," as they moved through several rounds of head-to-head competition.
Founded in 1989, FIRST's STEM programming is for students of all ages, including those as young as 4 years old. Katy ISD's Sundown Elementary debuted its FIRST Lego League this year, becoming the district's inaugural elementary robotics club.