GHS Robotics team reaches national quarterfinals
May 2, 2004     Greenville Herald Banner

By Amber Everett
Herald Banner Staff

At the 2004 National Competition in Atlanta, the Greenville High School Robotics Team finished as a Curie Division Quarterfinalist.

Members of the GHS Robotics team and L-3 Engineers form the group, Robowranglers, earned a silver medal at Regional competition, with the team winning the Best Web Site Award at the Lone Star Regional.

Robotics Coach Vanessa Pope says that she could not be happier with the team's performance this year.

"It has been a very successful year.  The real success for us this year is our parent group, which have traveled to regional and national competitions with us and helped us," Pope said.

At the national FIRST "Raising the Bar" Robotics competition in Atlanta, Georgia, the GHS Robotics team finished in the quarter-finals for the Curie Division.

After three days of competition and facing 74 other teams in their division, the GHS/L-3 Communications team entered the final phase of competition in an alliance with Team 47, Chief Delphi from Michigan and Team 126, Gale Force from Massachusetts.

Out of the 350 teams at nationals, only 24 teams were in the quarter-finals during the final day of competition on April 17.

The national competition was won by Team 71, The Beast, from Hammond, Indiana.

The longevity of the robotics team is being recognized by the FIRST organization numerous times at regional and nationals for their style and problem solving tactics.

"I cannot say enough about the professional care given by the L-3 engineers on the team.  They dedicated their time for four months and were great," Pope said.

The Robotics Team website, which also won an award, is www.robowranglers.com.