Whiz Kids: King's 'CyberKnights' Take 2nd in World Robotics Competition

King’s High School announced that its robotics team, CyberKnights (team number 3717), placed second at the 2013 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics World Championship, held in St. Louis from April 24 to 27, 2013. The team faced off against 128 of the top international high school robotics teams and finished first in its division to secure a spot in the championship round.

“Our students were simply amazing and I am extremely proud of their hard work and dedication,” said Mikel Thompson, robotics coach for King’s High School. “They shined as the best and the brightest during the competition and throughout the judging process, performing at the highest levels under extreme pressure.”

A panel of judges recognized the CyberKnights with the Rockwell Collins Innovation Award, given to the team with the most innovative and creative robot design. The CyberKnights team was also selected as runner-up for the Inspire Award, recognizing excellence in robot design and teamwork, and the PTC Design Award for teams that incorporate industrial design elements that are both functional and aesthetic.

King’s High School students ranging from 14 to 19 years old spent more than 5,000 hours planning, developing and building working robots to showcase in the international competition. The team secured a spot in the FTC World Championship with a first-place finish in the Washington state robotics championship in January, its fourth consecutive year as state champion.

The FTC World Championship welcomes teams from around the world including Russia, Scandinavia, Australia, the Middle East, Central America and the Pacific Rim, fostering hands-on learning in the fields of math, science and engineering. Students have the opportunity to interact with leaders from major technology corporations and engineering universities during the event, and participants have the opportunity to qualify for more than $10.4 million in college scholarships. 

For more information about King’s Schools, visit http://www.kingsschools.org/; visit www.USFirst.org for more information about the FTC World Championship.