EnTech Team 281, a team made up of three dozen students from seven high schools in Greenville County, as well as home-schooled students, won top honors at the FIRST Robotics Bayou Regional Competition held in New Orleans. The team also won the competition's Quality Award.
The team which meets at Greenville Technical College, is assisted by Greenville Technical College's Mechanical Engineering Technology and Engineering Graphics Technology students, who help with robot design as part of a capstone class.
Seeded in 14th place coming into the competition's quarter finals, the team won its way to the top, beating out 56 other teams including groups from China, Mexico and Turkey. The group is making plans to attend the FIRST Robotics World Championship to be held in Houston in April.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989 in an attempt to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Kamen created a sporting event that connects students with adult mentors to design, build, wire, and program robots that compete against one another in a challenging competition.
GTC has sponsored a FIRST team since 1997, and this is the oldest team in the state. In that time, the EnTech team has captured four other regional wins along with the regional chairman’s award. Michelin serves as primary sponsor for the team, assisted by GTC, SOLIDWORKS, Greenville Technical Charter High School, Baldor, Laserflex, and GE. Mechanical
Engineering Technology Department Head Mark Hapstack, who started the first team at the college and has been involved ever since, now serves as mentor.