Georgia Brown Dual Immersion School’s robotics program has earned multiple top awards in its inaugural year, with both its elementary and junior high teams advancing to higher-level competitions. This achievement was highlighted in the latest edition of the Paso Proud newsletter published by the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District.
Launched in September, the program formed two teams to compete in the Santa Maria Winter Wonderland Robotics Open Competition on December 13. The elementary team consisted of fourth graders, while the junior high team included sixth- and seventh-grade students. The event featured 46 teams from across the Central Coast.
Students dedicated several months to designing, programming, and building robots to tackle challenges that required both remote-controlled and fully autonomous operations. During timed matches, teams collaborated to pick up, stack, and move objects, earning points through strategy, precision, and problem-solving. All robots were entirely built and coded by the students, with teachers providing mentorship throughout the process.
Competing against over 30 elementary teams, Georgia Brown’s fourth-grade squad stood out by earning the Overall Teamwork Champion Award, Robot Skills Champion Award, and Design Award. Their modified clawbot, affectionately nicknamed “Lobster,” scored more than twice as many points as the next highest competitor. This outstanding performance qualified the elementary team for the Southern California State Championships, scheduled for March 13-14 at UC Irvine. The results at the state level will determine whether the team advances to the World Championship in St. Louis later this spring.
Meanwhile, Georgia Brown’s junior high team reached the finals and received the Innovation Award for the design of their robot, “Bot-Zilla.” The team recorded the highest autonomous score among all 46 teams, with their robot completing tasks using only student-written code and no manual driving.
In total, Georgia Brown teams brought home four of the competition’s top awards—more than any other school at the event.
“It was a wildly successful day, and I’m still processing what happened,” said Jon-Paul Ewing, robotics club advisor and science teacher. “Our students were fantastic—handling setbacks with maturity and showing outstanding sportsmanship with their fellow competitors.”
For the student participants, the experience was about more than just awards. “I really enjoyed learning how robots work and getting to meet other kids from all over,” shared Evelyn Maxted, a sixth-grade member of the junior high team.
The robotics program has been supported by community partnerships. The Paso Robles Education Association donated $1,600 to purchase competition kits. The Georgia Brown PTO covered the contest entry fee of $310 and $70 in practice arena costs. Principal Cristina Velasco used school donation funds to cover team registration fees and transportation, totaling $500.
As the teams prepare for the state championships, they are actively raising $2,000 to help cover the $350 state entry fee, travel expenses, and new pneumatic kits to further upgrade their robots.
“Our students are fired up, and I’m doing everything I can to keep up with their energy and ambition,” said Ewing. “They’re already brainstorming ways to make their designs even stronger for state. The community’s support makes all of this possible.”
Community members and local businesses interested in contributing to the teams’ efforts can contact Jon-Paul Ewing at [email protected].
https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/georgia-brown-robotics-teams-earn-top-awards-at-regional-competition/217119/