San Marino High School’s robotics team recognized at school board meeting – Pasadena Star News

The San Marino High School Titanium Robotic team demonstrates their robot while being honored by the San Marino Unified School District during a board meeting on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. The 33-member team won the regionals of the FIRST Robotics Competition in April and advanced to the world championships in Houston.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

The San Marino Unified School District’s regular Board of Education meeting Tuesday had a festive atmosphere as parents, teachers and students gathered to celebrate an “exceptionally successful season” of the San Marino High School robotics team.

Also known as Titanium Robotics, the 33-member team won the regionals of the FIRST Robotics Competition in April, which enabled them to earn a spot in the world championships in Houston. This marked the first time that the club, founded 23 years ago, had advanced to the world stage.

Gavin Morris, the team’s engineering president, gave a presentation on their achievements to the board during the meeting.

Morris said the club clinched the Team Sustainability Award at the Los Angeles Regionals in El Segundo and went on to win the East Bay Regionals in Berkeley, the first such victory in the club’s history.

This victory secured an invitation for the club in the world championships in Houston, where team members competed against high schools from Southern California as well as teams from Brazil, Canada, Israel, and Turkey, Canada.

“You guys have to know that, you guys were all there, and we are so proud of each and everyone of you,” said Shelley Ryan, president of the board. “But San Marino was there with you, and so I’m very proud to say that the community rose up and heard our ask for help, and you guys got it.”

The competitions were organized by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a nonprofit that challenges teams to design, program and build a robot using a standard kit of parts and a set of rules to play. In addition to building the robot, teams also have to develop a brand, establish community partnerships and promote STEM.

SCNG Columnist Anissa Rivera contributed to this story