Local 4-H members complete at state fair

On Aug. 15, members of Bit By Bit 4-H - FIRST Robotics Team 3784 traveled to Sedalia to compete at the Missouri State Fair in the Show Me Robotics Competition. The event was held to showcase science and technology advancements and to promote science to students.

During the day the team members competed against other robotics teams from across the state. The tournament was a round robin event with the student driven robots competing in logomotion, a FIRST robotics game. Each robot played in teams of two robots to hang colored tubes on walls at various heights and to deploy mini robots that would climb a 10-foot pole in the shortest time.

The Bit By Bit 4-H team placed third place overall. Team members who made the trip and competed at the state fair were: Jami Asher, Willow Welters and Andrew Rausch, of Monett; Ashley Painter, of Verona; Jordan Painter, of Aurora; and Marie and Maranda Townsend, of Springfield. Rick Painter is the head coach.

The robotics team's next competition will be at the Cowtown Throwdown in Kansas City in November. The team will compete against other robotic clubs from the midwest in preparation for the upcoming 2012 FIRST Robotics season starting in January.

For further information on FIRST robotics, visit www.frcteam3784.webs.com.