On October 12th and 13th, the Legacy Robotics team placed third out of a field of thirty-eight teams at the BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) Robotics Current Events Challenge at Allen High School, qualifying them for a spot in the state championship. The team was given just six weeks to create a company, compose a business plan, build a display booth, give a business presentation in front of a panel of judges, develop an engineering notebook, and produce a superior robot at the lowest cost.
“Our students worked diligently and deserved that win. Now we must prepare for even tougher competition. Our students are awesome and we will meet and overcome the upcoming challenge with hard work and steadfast prayer. We are Legacy.” – Dirk Preble
The team was tasked with building a recycling robot that would be capable of collecting ocean trash, including plastics, convert that trash into an artificial reef, all while being mindful of wildlife in the area (plastic ducks and 3D-printed turtles). That was a tall order to fill but the goal was simple- build a robot that can accomplish the mission better than any other team. The competition was tough, with teams from considerably larger public school districts like Allen and McKinney.
“Our team is one of the smallest ones to compete in the CoCo BEST competition, competing against teams with 40-50 members, so we are incredibly proud to be able to attend State for the first time in Legacy history. The team members we have are incredibly talented and committed to helping us win State!”
-Jerry Lin, VP of Construction, and Lauren Fraley, President of Robotics Club
To view a complete gallery of photos from competition day, click here.
The Texas BEST & UIL State Robotics Championship will be hosted in Frisco at the Dr. Pepper Arena from November 29-December 1. The championship competition will bring together 72 teams from hubs across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. The event will allow the teams to compete against the best in the region, celebrate their own successes, network with industry professionals through mentoring sessions, and learn about careers in STEM. The Legacy robotics team raised funds from sponsors and advertised through their website.
Kara Hermogeno, Dean of the Schools of Engineering and Medicine, said “The Robotics Team has learned how to adapt and persevere through the many challenges of accomplishing a goal and working together as a team. I’m excited to see what our team can do at the next competition!”
(Top row L to R) – Coach Zdrojewski, Connor Escobedo, Max Sanderlin, Josh Phillips, Lauren Fraley, Peter Guy, (bottom row L to R) – Mr. Preble, Alex Clark, Jerry Lin, Mrs. Hermogeno
Legacy Christian Academy is Frisco's preeminent Pre-K through 12 Christian school committed to educating students in a college preparatory environment balanced in academics, athletics, and fine arts–all within the context of a biblical worldview. For more information on Legacy, visit our admissions page.