Top Row (L-R) Jami Bessey (Fr), Chris Edwards (Fr), Michael Lage (So), Austin Cawley (Jr), Kelsey Smith (Fr)

Ryan Haggarty (So), Chris Clinton (Jr), Katherine Kennedy (So), Lea Hauldren (Jr), Stephanie Neuerberg (So), Felicia Evans (So)

John Edwards (Sr), Jayce Brandt (Sr), Spenser Boan (Sr), Phelan Bybee (Sr), Curtis Shirk (Sr), Brogan McWilliams (Sr), Hank Brandt (Sr)

Francisca Raposo (Sr), Katherine Meinig (Sr), Bridget Kennedy (Sr), Jackie Thompson (Sr)

Our Story

In 2003, Paola Panther Robotics, a rookie team of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) program, competed in a regional competition in Houston, TX.  This new team of 10 students, 2 teachers, and 3 community professionals brought home the most prestigious award available to a rookie team: the Rookie All Star Award.  They also were the regional champions that year, and went on to the national competition where the team was selected as National Rookie All Stars.

The team continues to achieve excellence at competitions and has brought home 7 additional trophies through the 2006 season.  Trophies signify dedication and excellence, but this team truly prides itself on the positive impact it has made on individual students, the school and the entire community.  Involvement in the team has encouraged its students to continue their education.  From the rookie team, one member is working as a computer scientist and one is in graduate school for chemical engineering.  Three others are in their junior years of college: one is studying pre-medicine; anther in biochemistry; and the other is studying in Italy as part of his architectural degree. Graduates from the team continue on to higher education at a rate of 98%.

Professionals within our district worked side by side with teachers to the guide the team in engineering and design concepts to build a competitive robot.  With the help of mentors ranging from retired teachers to college students, life long skills are taught in the areas of marketing, web design, presentation, fundraising, accounting, project management, film making, photography, computer programming and news story writing.  The unique feature of the team is they are out to win, though not at another’s expense: a concept known in the FIRST organization as gracious professionalism.  This concept goes beyond the competitive season.  The team participates annually in the local Relay for Life, and the robot is a featured “walker”.  Each summer the team is found at the county fair, presenting at “The Learning Corner” to share their enthusiasm for science and technology with the young and the young at heart.