Hurricane high schoolers win state title, qualify for robotics world championship

A Hurricane robotics team has qualified to go to the world championship of FIRST, an organization that promotes STEM and leadership skills in youth.

The Team Without a Cool Acronym qualified for the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology State Championship last Saturday and is one of two teams from Utah heading to the world championship in April. The team consists of nine high school students who had previously qualified for the FIRST World Championship last season in April of 2021 but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The team acronym TWCA is a nod to the children’s show Phineas and Ferb and the team has been recognized by the show’s creators have sent videos and other encouragements to the students.

“It’s been really cool for them, because over the last three years that they’ve had this particular team, the creators of Phineas and Ferb, actually know who they are, and communicate back and forth with the team,” said Amy Hummel, the TWCA organizer.

One of the co-creators, Jeff Swampy Marsh, sent the squad a video that wishes them luck this season and has sent autographed posters to display in the team pits, Hummel said.

The nine students have been working with local businesses like Dairy Queen in Hurricane, Fizz drinks and Zonos. A Tesla engineer came to mentor them. Sand Hollow Resort donated $1,000 to the team for supplies and competition expenses.

The students also spent the summer mentoring STEM camps at elementary schools in Washington County and volunteering at the STEM Outreach Program at Dixie State University, Hummel said.

TWCA will travel to Houston, Texas at the end of April to compete against teams from around the world. However, the team needs some help getting there. Hummel recently set up a GoFundMe account where anyone interested in supporting the team can go to donate.

“So, what we’re asking for right now is just basically the basics, to get us to Houston for 11 people,” Hummel said.

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The team will be preparing from now till April for the competition and continue to get mentorship for their robot. To donate to TWCA visit https://gofund.me/486a8190.

Elle Cabrera covers breaking news and topics. Please help us to continue producing this content at thespectrum.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: Hurricane high school students qualify for robotics competition