IndianaFIRST has selected Columbus as one of five tournament host sites for the statewide robotics competition.
High school robotics teams from across the state will compete against each other at Columbus North High School on March 19-21 for a chance to represent Indiana in national and international competitions. Bloomington, Mishawaka, Indianapolis and Lafayette were also chosen as host cities.
Sam Geckler, founder of Columbus GalacTech Team 4926, said hosting a tournament was something the team had considered, but doing so requires wide support outside of the team.
Geckler leads a team of 30 students from Columbus high schools on a year-long journey that involves training, community outreach, building a robot and competing against robotics teams from across the nation.
After Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. Superintendent Jim Roberts watched GalacTech Team 4926 compete in Plainfield in 2018, Geckler said Roberts asked what it would take to bring a competition to Columbus.
“That was the turning point in our thinking,” Geckler said. “We really needed to have a venue and the support of the school corporation.”
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
