Ocosta Junior/Senior High School’s robotics team, “Fishy Business Inc. (FBI),” set a world’s record at last weekend’s FIRST Tech Challenge West Super Regional event at the Tacoma Dome, on their way to becoming one of six teams from Washington that qualified for the FTC World Championship, on April 19-22 in Houston, TX. Now they need the community’s help to make the final chapter of their dream come true.

Joe Prieur, one of a trio of adult mentors for the team, explained that the group from the Westport school, “has a real chance at ‘taking it all’ at the World Championships if they can find the financial backing to get there.” Thus, donations for registration fee, travel, lodging, and meals are needed, and Prieur has started a Gofundme page, at www.gofundme.com/FTC11121Worlds.

Prieur explained that “time is of the essence. Teams planning to participate in Houston must register and remit their non-refundable $1,000 registration fee no later than Friday, March 24. The team can’t afford to lose that $1,000, so (we) must determine whether or not they can raise enough funds to send students to the competition by then. Any contribution on your part will be most gratefully accepted and appreciated.” By Thursday afternoon, the Gofundme page had raised $830 of their $6,500 goal.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a not-for-profit public charity, was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. FIRST provides a progression of four global, after-school programs for grades K-12, of which the FIRST Tech Challenge for grades 7-12 is the third level.

More information on the Ocosta team is available online at their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FTC11121/.

Pictured are team members (kneeling) Samatha Starkey, (L-R) Markay Williams, Kaylie Prieur, Evan Smith, Kaden Smith, Aaron Doull, and Enapay Croy. Jayson Davidson is not pictured.

Photos courtesy Joe Prieur and FTC West Super Regional.