Grayson County Technology Center (GCTC) teams recently participated in the Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) State Championship and placed multiple teams in the top 10.
The competition recognizes student achievement in technology and provided the backdrop for six GCTC students to compete with others from across the state. In total, 558 schools from 119 districts participated in the day’s events, which included robotics, coding and game design.
Two teams qualified by taking first and second place at the regional competition in RCX – Robot Challenge Extreme and Video Game Design.
In the brief time between regionals and state competition, GCTC Robos (Landon Johnson and Alexis Chino) made some important adjustments to their project that helped propel them to fourth place. And GCTC Brobotics (Brandon Baxter and Jackson Henning) made the top 10, taking ninth place.
Additionally, their efforts to make it to STLP state earned the program a $500 grant from a non-profit organization, Tennessee Valley Robotics.
Out of 21 high school teams judged in the Video Game Design challenge, Project KDP Kaydence Monnin and Preston Gary placed seventh. They modified a game they designed for SkillsUSA to put it in contention for the STLP challenge.
“I’m extremely happy we got to travel to Lexington and compete. Being on the floor at Rupp was awesome” Coach JT Burns said while also acknowledging his pride in the team. He noted the extra time and work the students put in outside the classroom to prepare and progress in the short time between regionals and state.
(Photo: GCTC State STLP Participant l-r: Coach JT Burns, Preston Gary, Brandon Baxter, Alexis Chino, Kaydence Monnin, Landon Johnson and Jackson Henning)
By Grayson Co. Schools and Ken Howlett, News Director
