New Diana Middle School has been awarded a $1,480 Robotics Grant from FIRST in Texas for the 2011 season. This grant is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.

This amount covers the following items:

• $1,005 for the robotic kit, parts, shipping, and handling

• $275 FTC program registration (FIRST Tech Challenge)

• $200 FTC qualifier event registration fee

An additional $300 is available if the team advances to compete at a regional championship.

This will provide middle school students an opportunity to compete at an advanced level while learning how to design, build and program a third type of robot.

The students will be assisted by Bo Snyder and his robotic students at Pittsburg High School.

Janice Park is in her third year of teaching Robotics to students at New Diana.

The program has had a number of successes and has placed high in most of the robotics competitions entered.

This includes a second-place performance in 2009 at the Region 7 spring competition and a first- and third- place showing from two teams in the 2010 Region 7 spring competition.

Additionally, the team earned several honors after participating in Academic Rodeo’s Engineering Challenge for the first time last fall by incorporating a second type of robotic kit into its repertoire.

Along with the second-place overall finish, the team was also awarded Best Overall Presentation, Best Poster Display, Best Rover Design and tied for Most Rocks Collected.