LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - The Lima YMCA and the University of Northwestern Ohio’s “Bean City Bots” high school robotics team are putting the finishing touches on their robot ahead of competition.
Three students and four mentors are preparing their robot, a remote-controlled device capable of driving and shooting balls into containers. The team will compete against more than 40 high school teams from across the nation at the 27th annual FIRST Robotics Competition Buckeye Regional.
The regional competition is scheduled for March 19-21 at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. While the team has made some last-minute adjustments, members say they are excited for the experience and have learned a great deal along the way.
"We have grown pretty close already this season, build bonds with each other, and, then, have those lasting hopeful friendships moving outside of here. Also, and then, we're hoping that some of our, you know, seniors and stuff would come back and be a mentor for the younger kids, and we can kind of cycle our mentors that way also," says Skylynn Prine, Teen Development Director, Lima Family YMCA.
"It's exciting to go. Everyone at the competition is great. Everyone is super friendly and helpful and all that stuff, and also if you want to watch us on Friday, if you go to Twitch, you should be able to find us if you search in ‘firstinspires3,’" says Coltin Myers, Senior at Lima Senior High School.
If they advance, the “Bean City Bots” will move on to compete at the FIRST World Championship in Houston, Texas, in April.
