Keenan High robotics team qualifies for national competition

W.J. Keenan High’s Robo-Raiders team was named recipient of the Rookie All-Star Award at the inaugural Palmetto FIRST(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Regional Robotics competition held recently at the Colonial Center and qualified for the national robotics competition to be held at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta later this month.

Keenan was one of eight rookie teams in the field of 42 high-school teams representing 15 states and Puerto Rico that spent several weeks turning bins full of computer software and metal bits into high-performing robots for the competition.

The Robo-Raiders, 75-members strong, were recognized for forming strong partnerships with the community and involving their entire school in fundraising.

As first-time participants, the Robo-Raiders placed 25th out of 46 teams in the Peachtree Regional Competition in Duluth, Georgia recently.

The team’s dedicated coaches, all of whom are teachers, are KaReem Beckett, Tamikah Battle, Dr. Martin Cwiakala and Alvin Pressley.