JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – For the first time in school history, the Jamestown Public School District will be sending a robotics team to compete at the FIRST Robotics program in Grand Forks this week.

A team of high school students spent the past six weeks designing their team “brand”. They also used teamwork skills to build and program an industrial sized robot to complete different tasks required at the competition against other competing schools.

“We had a team of about 15, but because of other commitments, we will be sending about 6 students to the competition,” teacher Jacob Denault told a small gathering at a preview Monday evening.
University of Jamestown Sophomore Brandan Schmitz came on as a co-advisor, using his previous experience in the FIRST Robotics program to help guide the team.

“This is the first year Jamestown will be sending a team,” Schmitz stated. “Some of the teams have been together for 18 years. They have an advantage because of the mentors they’ve had helping the students. For our first year, we’ve actually accomplished quite a lot.”

Students will control the robot with an Xbox controller while watching on a tv screen, competing against teams from North Dakota, Michigan, California, and Minnesota.

Community businesses and mentors have helped the team by providing funding, materials, and guidance to finish the robot. Students met at the Career and Technology Center every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 3:30 PM to 6 PM and Saturdays from 9 AM to 4 PM.

The competition will feature nearly 50 teams and will be held at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks March 13th through the 16th. You can livestream the event and follow the Jamestown Robotics Team during the competition here.

For more on the first year of the robotics team at the Jamestown High School, click here.

View photos and video from the community demonstration below.

Jamestown FIRST Robotics Team