High-Res Image

Click here for Microsoft Word version of this press release

Members of the Sol C. Johnson High School robotics team competed in the North Carolina FIRST Tech Challenge at North Carolina A & T University, in Greensboro, NC.  The team revamped the previous robot’s design and incorporated a linear slide device with an eight motor drive train.  The students were the 3rd seeded team entering the qualifying rounds.  They finished the quarterfinals but were defeated in the semi-final round.

However, Johnson did not walk away empty-handed. The team received the FIRST engineering “Amaze Award.”  This award is given to the team whose unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition. 

The judges were quoted as saying, “This team embodied the true spirit of FIRST. They exhibited excellent teamwork and communication among team members and their alliance partners.”

Johnson High’s Robotics team has received several awards this year. At the Georgia State tournament, they received the “Innovated Award” for creating a robot that had exceptional quality design features.

The team also helps spread awareness throughout the community by mentoring younger teams at Islands and Marsh Point Elementary Schools, and outside involvement in projects like American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life.

Members of the team who participated in the competition are: Jason Gyoker, James Guadagno, Vincent Tran, Andrew Tran, Michael Hill, Martin Joubert, James Burruss, Lindsay Schaack, Alexis Mitchell, Zachary Jones, Albert McGraw and Dustin Schie.  Missing from the competition was team members Jonathan Caughron and Maureen McCoy.