SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Team Torobotics from Spanish Fort High School won first place in Baldwin County at the BEST — Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology — robotics competition last Saturday for their robot named “Bulldozer.”

BEST is a nationwide competition separated into regions. Team Torobotics also won sixth place in the region and first place for their marketing booth.

Team leader Julia Thomas, a pre-engineering teacher at the high school, was chosen as the BEST Robotic Teacher for the region.

“The competition was awesome. We beat every other Baldwin County School,” Thomas said.

Last year, the team was number 10 in the region, Thomas said. Other schools in the competition included Foley and Daphne high schools, Daphne and Fairhope middle schools.

“The team is ecstatic because the robot did exactly what it was supposed to do,” Thomas said. “’Bulldozer’ picked up bottles and had to travel up a ramp, and after maneuvering around other robots it had to place the bottles in a bin.”

Thomas said the part the students liked the best about the whole experience was a sense of ownership, since the robot was made by the students. Sometimes mentors and teachers don’t let students do enough on their own, she said. But the students are proud of the fact that they produced something by themselves, she said.

Out of approximately 20 booths, they received first place honors. Their marketing booth was set up to mimic a science research lab on Mars. It included a display of photos that depicted what the BEST experience was like, what Team Torobotics had achieved, and how the team had reached out to the community.

“They worked as a team,” Thomas said.

The team also made giveaways to give to all the members of the other teams. All giveaways were homemade and were made to help market the team’s program. Team Torobotics made three items to give away: “Stress balls” made out of flour and balloons; baseball cards that had all the team and robot names; and a product similar to “Shrinky-Dinks,” made of styrofoam containers shrunk in the oven which becomes hard plastic square pins, Thomas said. The baseball cards were made to serve as souvenirs for the participants of the BEST experience, she said.

The team also went to Spanish Fort Elementary and Rockwell Elementary to show the younger students their robot.

Thomas said a lot of middle school kids were interested in helping with a project like this. Next year the team may include a high school team and middle school team. They may even combine teams so the high school can mentor the younger grades. A positive outlook is required.

“The goal is to be successful and not lose their mind,” Thomas said.

Thomas said the 35 students who participated this year are eager to perform in the robotics competition again next year.

“They all worked and we are glad to have them come back,” she said.

Julia Thomas was nominated by her team for the Best Robotic Teacher of the Year for the region award and won.

She received a plaque and a $200 gift certificate to Target, which she used to buy party items for the Team Torobotics celebration party last week.

Team sponsors were Wilson Miller, Condette America, Hog Bayou Calpine, First Community Bank, Thompson Engineering, Stapleton Elementary, Rockett

Properties, Rockwell Elementary, Spanish Fort Elementary, Carquest, Mr. and Mrs. Dane Hill, Mrs. Gonzalez, Mr. and Mrs. David Lump, Michael

McDuffie-Southern Alabama Orthodontics and Aztec Maritime Services.

Team mentors were Dr. Todd Thomas (Ciba Specialty Chemicals); David Lump (Hurricane Electronics); Dane Hill (Hog Bayou Calpine); Kim Hill and Teri Fisher.

The team will continue to hold twice monthly meetings. Some members will be attending the Technology Association Contest in 2008.