H.S. Robotics Team Qualifies For Tech World Championship

EULESS (CBSDFW.COM) - A North Texas robotics team is one step away from world domination. Last week students from Trinity High School in Euless qualified for the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship to be held in St. Louis next month.

Now… if they can only raise the cash to get there.

The Trinity students designed and built the robot they call "wormtail," and so far it's invincible.

Sixteen-year-old student Danish Tharvani explained, "We took good parts of one robot and put it on another and we made it a super robot."

High school junior Alan Huang went into further detail. "They're driving the robots. And right now they're picking up blocks and they're going to score them in the pendulum and that's the major way we score points in our game."

The Trinity High Robotics Team has been together for four years. Led by their fearless sponsor Donna Orozco, the Harry Potter-themed team went undefeated in San Antonio, at the FTC South US Super-Regional Championship Tournament -- the highest it's ever placed.

Orozco said the team now has some very special attire. "On the back of the t-shirt it says, "the countdown to world domination has begun."

But success has come with sacrifice, the students spent the last Summer, Christmas break, Spring break, and Tuesday nights after school working on their robot, preparing presentations, and performing community outreach required to win.

Tharvani said humbly, "What we do is because we love doing it."

Now the students are being forced to knuckle down even harder. Orozco said the team is willing to sacrifice even more to raise the $13,000 they need to get to St. Louis

"We aren't the richest school district...so we're willing to work hard and do just about anything to raise money," she said. "I totally believe in these kids and how hard they work. I really want to see them go all the way."

The 2013-2014 FTC World Championship, which will include teams from the United States, Asia, Europe, and South America, will be held April 23 through April 26.

If you'd like to make a donation or have an idea on how to help raise funds send an email to Donna Orozco, or call 817-571-0271 extension 6100.

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