Teams compete in robotics

Students from 49 high school teams in six states competed in the 2012 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Bayou Regional competition March 15-17 in Kenner, La. A team from David Thibodaux Career and Technical High School in Lafayette, La., joined with a pair of teams from Texas to emerge as the tournament champion. The FIRST competition is designed to encourage students to pursue engineering and technology careers. High school teams are given six weeks to build robots that can perform assigned tasks. They then compete in regional events across the country to earn a chance to go to the finals April 26-28 at the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis. NASA and the John C. Stennis Space Center are strong supporters of FIRST Robotics and the Bayou Regional event with team coaches, mentors, training, judges, referees, a machine shop and other volunteers. Thirty teams in the regional were from Louisiana and seven from Mississippi. (Source: NASA, 03/20/12)