Robotics technology is booming in Limestone County on both high school and college levels.

High School students on robotics Team 34 – The Rockets, at the Limestone County Career Technical Center, recently won gold and silver medals at the FIRST Robotics Peachtree Regional in Duluth, Ga. In addition, Calhoun Community College received a $198,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission for its robotics program.

Students had to maneuver their robot through an obstacle course along with 34 other teams during the two-day event.

The team won the regional Chairman’s Award, which is the most prestigious award at the event. The Chairman’s Award Team is made up of Brandon Powell, Alex Kelley, Will Patrick and education mentor Monica McConnell.

“I am very proud of he chairman’s team because this is the first time that Team 34 has ever won the prestigious Chairman’s Award. Our past and present efforts of community outreach and community service gave our team the edge over many other good teams,” McConnell said. “The team will advance to the championship in Atlanta, Ga., to compete against 41 other regional winners.”

Team-34 won the Website Award as well. The team Web site was created and maintained by student Trey McMeans, education mentor Brian Terry and volunteer Russell Johnson.

The robot drive team won second place in the robot competition. The robot design was lead by engineers Ed Sparks, Bob Gabrys and Grant Reeves. The robot drive team includes Seth Kerr, Adam Mason, Ethan King, robo-coach Cameron Pitts, coach Jake Beggs and coach and mentor Grant Reeves.

Students who participate on the robotics team at LCTC could benefit from the Calhoun grant in the future. The ARC is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.

The $198,000 grant is for the integration of industrial robotics and simulation into technologies curricula. It will be used to buy additional robotics and simulation equipment for the industrial robotic and simulation technology curriculum already offered at Calhoun. Implementation of the ARC-funded project will begin immediately and should be completed in May 2009. Mike Blizzard, division chairman for technologies and machine-tool technology instructor at Calhoun, will serve as project director.

In February, Calhoun received a gift of $17,000 from the Huntsville Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Pathfinder Chapter. The money was used to start a robotics club at the college and support a scholarship for a student pursuing a career in the field of robotics.

Last summer, U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Ala., announced that the House Appropriations Committee approved $150,000 for the establishment of a robotics center at Calhoun. The center would serve as a national and international model providing hands-on instruction on robotics for various sectors, ranging from health care to automotive, Cramer said.

For information about the LCTC robotics program, visit www.rockets34.com. For information about robotics courses offered at Calhoun, call (256) 306-2561.