Local school wins robotics competition

Monday, April 4, 2005 | 8:53 a.m.

Cimarron-Memorial High School's robotics team was one of three winners at a regional competition over the weekend, making the group eligible to compete at the national finals later this month in Atlanta.

The For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, or FIRST Robotics Competition, was founded in 1989 by a coalition of public sector agencies and private businesses. High school students are provided with identical parts and six weeks to build a robot capable of completing a specific task. Thirty-eight teams from as far away as Hawaii and Alaska competed at Thomas & Mack Center Friday and Saturday in the first Las Vegas regional event.

In addition to securing a regional winner berth, Cimarron-Memorial took home the General Motors Industrial Design Award. The team was co-sponsored by NASA and the Golden Nugget.

Other regional winners were the joint team of Queen Creek and Highland high schools of Mesa, Ariz., and Granite Hills High School of El Cajon, Calif..

The winners of 30 regional events held in six countries will face off April 21 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Clark High School finished in 11th place at the regionals while Palo Verde High School was 22nd. Rancho High School's rookie team took 30th and Coronado High School was 38th.