I'm so excited to be volunteering this year at the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition this year. The event takes place in April, 2014 and four teams from Acadiana will be participating.

Team Phenomena is based out of Comeaux High School. They won the rookie All-Star Award at the Bayou Regional in 2011 and went to the FIRST Championship 2011. Team members are from Comeaux, Lafayette High & Teurlings. Their sponsors include Cargill Salt, Cargill Deicing Technology, Frank's International, Vector Graphics, Inc., CAD Solutions, Inc., SPE International Evangeline Section, Driltech, LLC, Bosco Machine Shop, Touche Printing, The Burke Group, Lafayette Lanes, Tefsco Manufacturing, LLC. (Team 3616)

Ramageddon is out of Acadiana High School. Their sponsors include University Of Louisiana Lafayette, Begneaud Manufacturing, Linear Control, Scott Police Department, Control Concepts & Technology, Guidry Welding, Keystone Energy Tools, Congress Outdoor Power Equipment, The Lolley Group, Blanchard Contractors, Inc., St Basil KC Council, Society of Petroleum Engineers Evangeline Section, Ardent Service, Total Safety. (Team 4336)

Krewe de Reauxbotics is from the David Thibodeaux STEM Academy. They were Regional Winners at the 2012 Bayou Regional and went on to compete at the2012 First Championship. Their sponsors include Frank's International, Fugro, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. (Team 4353)

The Crobots are from Carencro High School. Last year was their first year of competition. They are in need of local sponsorship. (Team 4832)

The amazing young men and women who comprise these teams received their competition kit on Saturday and over the next thirteen weeks, they'll learn from professional engineers, build and compete with a robot of their own design, learn and use sophisticated software and hardware, compete and cooperate in alliances and tournaments, and qualify for over $19 million in college scholarships!

Check out what they'll be doing (and keep in mind these are HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!):

One of the tenets of FIRST is "Gracious Professionalism". Here's what that means:

You don't have to be a genius to join, either. In addition to designers and builders, the teams need help with Social Media, Public Relations, Photography and Videography, and more. Hats off to these leaders of tomorrow!

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