Spain Park Engineering Academy moves on to regional competition

“Game Day” as it’s called is fast approaching for the South’s BEST (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology Regional Robotics Championship), and Spain Park High School’s Engineering Academy could not be more excited.

Since Spain Park High School performed well during the UAB Blazer BEST completion in October, the team is moving on to the South’s BEST Regional Competition at Auburn University.

The academy will compete against other schools on Dec. 7-8. The competition consists of each team creating a robot that will be required to perform different tasks. Each team is also required to create a table display based on the theme of the competition, and numerous other categories are judged during the event.

“This whole process is amazing,” said Academy instructor Dr. Scottie Wilson. “It’s very tiring, but it’s great to see how analytical these kids become. They put thoughts into action, put their knowledge onto paper and ultimately build what they’ve envisioned.”

Spain Park Engineering Academy focuses heavily on outreach to the community. The Academy travels to area middle and elementary schools during the season to demonstrate the robot. This encourages students to explore the world of math and science and strikes an interest within the younger community. 

Engineering Academy fundraisers have also become a key part of the competition. Hunan Cuisine on U.S. 280 has helped fund the program by hosting a fundraising night. It and other local businesses provide needed financial support for the team.

Everyone is excited and anxious for the competition. For seniors like myself, this is the last time to compete, so the drive and will is there.