Return of robotics regional being considered, with more space needed for 40 to 50 teams – Searcy Daily Citizen

Plans already have started being discussed about bringing the FIRST Robotics Arkansas Regional back to Searcy next year, according to Tim Westbrook, the Searcy Beats and Eats event coordinator for Tinkerfest, which was held in conjunction with the regional at Harding University at the end of March.

We are already talking about plans for bringing this back next year if we have a proper regional with a larger space and we are in conversations with the Searcy Public School District about that as well, Westbrook said. If all that comes true, wed expect about 40 to 50 teams coming back to Searcy.

The regional held in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House on March 31-April 2 featured 19 teams. Tinkerfest was held April 1 right outside the field house.

Westbrook told the Searcy Advertising and Tourism Promotion Commission, which provided funding for both the regional and Tinkerfest, that most of those who came in for the regional were from out of the town.

We definitely had people coming in buying food and staying in hotels here, he said. We estimated about 1,500 to 2,000 spectators that came in and out of the Rhodes-Reaves Field House over the weekend.

Westbrook said he has been told that there are 12-15 active robotics teams at this level in Arkansas, and seven out of the 12 qualified for the World Championship, so this is a resurgence of STEM and robotics in the state post-COVID and so were excited about what the future holds.

Turning to Tinkerfest, Westbrook said, We estimated about somewhere in the ballpark of 4,000 people that came. We had several food trucks. People that were selling things were satisfied so thats a good indicator for me.

Westbrook said the director of the Arkansas Regional came out and saw what was being done and said, Every year. Every year we need to do this every year. So that was exciting to hear that kind of feedback as well.

Commissioner Rees Jones said he went to both events and it was impressive. He said he didnt grow up doing activities like robotics.

Its just really impressive the number of teams that were there, even 19 teams, Jones said. You are watching them compete and how they do their process is just fascinating, and then Tinkerfest I thought was really good. It was pretty good. The weather was good. It was a little chilly. We had a lot of people out there.

The little experiments that they were doing where people were watching in the audience, it was really, really neat. Its exciting to bring stuff like that to Searcy. This is just another level of service that we can provide.

Jones also said he thought it was really neat that a team came all the way from Mexico to compete in robotics.

Commission Chairman Chris Howell asked about space concerns with the field house, and Westbrook responded, We need more space. We were at capacity and for this to happen annually we need to hold about 50 teams, which would be fair ... if we go over that, that would be great.

Commissioner Jim House asked Westbrook if Searcy had another building big enough for robotics events. Westbrook told him they have been talking with Searcy Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hart about using the new arena being built at Searcy High School. Westbrook said he wasnt sure when the arena will be ready but they would be looking forward to using it. It was also mentioned that the Ganus Activities Center at Harding might be able to be used if bleachers were brought in.

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Return of robotics regional being considered, with more space needed for 40 to 50 teams - Searcy Daily Citizen