BEST Robotics Competition Kicked Off Saturday

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — Creating a robot in seven weeks can be a daunting task for almost anyone.

That includes some middle school and high school students across all of Mississippi. As an introduction to the teams task over the next several weeks, students were given a presentation early Saturday morning about what jobs they must perform. Teams must build a robot from materials inside of a specific box.

This year’s competition will feature a vertical climb. Each team’s robot must carry specific items such as food, water and gasoline up a metal rod. Not only must the teams’ robot complete the task, each team must keep a journal and record their progress.

Teachers say the challenge is helpful to students planning a career in engineering.

“It’s something that gives them a bit of an experience of what an engineer is and what the process of designing something is about,” said Danielle Grimes, a student teacher. “It’s an all-around great program that gives someone an introduction to what they can possibly do later on.”

The final competition will be at Starkville in October.