Metro Atlanta Youth Robotics Team Advances to World Championship

Powder Springs, GA - During the week of March 7-11, the Praise Academy High School Robotics Team, Twisted Axles, from Powder Springs, brought home the divisional championship from the FIRST Robotics South Super Regional Championship in San Antonio, Texas. This performance secured their place as one of 127 teams from 42 countries to compete at the FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in St. Louis, MO April 27-30, an international event drawing over 40,000 competitors and spectators. Twisted Axles is honored to be the only team representing Georgia in this competition.

In San Antonio, Twisted Axles competed against 72 of the top teams from 12 states, with a robot made largely from recycled materials and donated parts. As the top scoring team from the states of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, Twisted Axles was nevertheless considered an underdog entering the semi-finals of their division as the fourth-seeded team. Along with their alliance partners, Twisted Axles surprised the field and went undefeated in the semi-finals and finals of their division. Though the team fell short in their final match-up against the other divisional championship team, which was anchored by one of the top high-school robotics program the nation, they are still able to compete in April.

“We’re so proud of the team. They finished the competition in San Antonio with the title ‘Finalist Alliance Team Captain.’ That’s a position only earned by eight teams out of 2,700 teams in the country!” said team parent Venisa Hardin. This position earned this small Georgia team their position in the upcoming FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. The team is excited to be competing at the World level and leveraging that exposure to educate others in Georgia to the benefits of the FIRST robotics programs.

The sport of competitive robotics is inspiring a new generation of engineers, business leaders, marketing professionals and others, all with a community-minded approach. “Robotics has provided me with the experiences and opportunities I’ve needed to choose a career path,” said Twisted Axles captain Tyler Runion. Runion says he plans to study Aerospace Engineering at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. In addition to the competitive, community service and academic opportunities provided through FIRST, the program also opens access to millions of dollars in scholarship opportunities.

A few states have sanctioned robotics as an official sports program, which includes financial support. But in most states, robotics is still funded through team dues, fundraising and sponsorships. Like any sports program, robotics teams need support for materials, robot components, controllers, competition fees, team travel and game fields. For more information or to interview team members contact Rachel Bartlett or Venisa Hardin at venisa@industrev.com.

Follow the team:

Facebook: Team 6047 Twisted Axles

Twitter: Twisted Axles

Team Website: https://twistedaxlesteam6047.wordpress.com/

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