The 23rd annual Kansas BEST robotics competition — designed to inspire and motivate high school students toward careers in engineering, science, and technology — will be held from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, in Charles Koch Arena.

The BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) competition challenges students to build a remote-controlled robot that accomplishes a defined task within a competitive setting. The competition includes an opportunity for teams to earn a big bonus if they can complete an autonomous task during their matches. Professional engineers and schoolteachers volunteer to coach teams through the engineering design process.

The sports-like technology contest combines the excitement of a high school football game with the strategy of a chess match and the intellectual challenge of a science fair. Using only the materials in the BEST-provided kits, students have eight weeks to design, develop and test a robot that can outperform their competitors. The weeks of hard work will culminate in spirited, day-long competition held annually every fall.

Participation in Kansas BEST is free, thanks to sponsorship by Army ROTC, Textron Aviation and the WSU College of Engineering. All equipment is provided to participating teams. The only cost to teams is their transportation to events.

There are 19 schools from Kansas will compete in the Kansas event. This year’s game is called Demo Daze, and the theme is construction and demolition. The robots are challenged with performing the complex and safety critical tasks on construction and demolition sites. 

• Wichita Collegiate HS
• Salina South High School
• Council Grove High School
• Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School
• Andover Central High School
• Minneapolis Jr/Sr High School
• Wichita Homeschool
• Atchison High School
• Smoky Valley High School
• Rose Hill High School
• Garden City High School
• Circle High School
• Rock Creek Jr./Sr. High School
• Solomon High School
• Osage City High School
• Valley Center High School
• Canton-Galva High School
• Washburn Rural High School
• Berean Academy

Five teams will be asked to represent Kansas in the Denver BEST Regional Championship on Dec. 11-12.

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