Thirty-eight teams will compete at the Frontier Trails BEST regional robotics competition held Dec. 2-3 at the Fort Smith Convention Center located at 55 South 7th Street.

 

The competition will take place throughout the weekend, and events open to the public begin at 1 p.m. Dec. 2 and culminate in an awards ceremony at 4 p.m. Dec. 3.  

 

Finalists from nine robotics competitions will compete for awards, including schools from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. Schools will compete for the BEST Award and awards for the best marketing presentation, the best team exhibit and the team displaying the best spirit and sportsmanship. Participating teams will then battle it out in the robot game Dec. 3.

 

The competition continues the theme of “Bet the Farm” used in the local BEST competitions. Local schools including Ambassadors for Christ Academy, Chaffin Junior High School and Ramay Junior High School will compete at the event after advancing from the River Valley BEST robotics competition. The teams advanced to the regional competition after earning top placement at the River Valley BEST robotics competition.

 

The hubs and schools competing in the competition are:

 

Front Range BEST of Highlands Ranch, Colo.: Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Chaparral High School, Parker, Colo.; Legend High School, Parker, Colo.; and STEM School & Academy, Highlands Ranch, Colo.

 

Golden Plains BEST of Julesburg, Colo.: Otis High School, Otis, Colo.; and Peetz School, Peetz, Colo.

 

Heartland BEST of Alva, Okla.: Cheyenne High School, Las Vega, NV.; Lawton Academy of Arts and Sciences, Lawton, Okla.; Oklahoma City Homeschool, Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Perry High School, Perry, Okla.

 

Kansas BEST of Wichita, Kan.: Andale High School, Andale, Kan.; Johnson County Home School, Olathe, Kans.; Philadelphia Christian Academy, Lafayette, La.; Pike Valley High School, Scandia, Kan.; Rose Hill High School, Rose Hill, Kan.; Salina South High School, Salina, Kan.; and Wichita Home School, Wichita, Kan.

 

Little Rock BEST of Little Rock: Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, Hot Springs; Athens Bible School, Athens, Ala.; Forest Heights STEM Academy, Little Rock; Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock; Poyen High School, Poyen; and Nashville High School, Nashville.

 

Northark BEST of Harrison: Alpena High School, Alpena, Mich.; Calico Rock High School, Calico Rock; Pershing High School, Detroit, Mich.; and Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs.

 

River Valley BEST of Fort Smith: Ambassadors for Christ Academy, Bentonville; Chaffin Junior High School, Fort Smith; Metro Home School, Blue Springs, Mo.; and Ramay Junior High School, Fayetteville.

 

Rocky Mountain BEST of Denver, Colo.: DSST Byers Middle School, Denver, Colo.; Innovation Center St. Vrain Valley, Longmont, Colo.; New Vista High School, Boulder, Colo.; Ralston Valley High School, Arvada, Colo.; and Skyline High School, Longmont, Colo.

 

Southern Colorado BEST of Trinidad, Colo.: Manzanola Junior and Senior High School, Manzanola, Colo.; and Raton High School, Denver, Colo.

 

BEST stands for Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology and is a non-profit volunteer-based organization. BEST seeks to engage students in engineering-related activities situated in real-world working environments, hoping to inspire them to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)-related fields.

 

The event is open to the public, and admission is free. For more information contact Jason Merritt, electronics technology instructor, at 479-788-7877 or jason.merritt@uafs.edu.

 

About the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

 

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Through a small campus, dedicated professors, and the university’s unique bond with its community, students at UAFS are able to do more in the areas they are passionate about, both on- and off-campus, in a way that prepares them for post-graduate success. To find out how you can do more at UAFS, visit www.uafs.edu.