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Reporting on science, technology and innovation in Arizona and the Southwest through a collaboration from Arizona NPR member stations. This project is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.Additional stories from the Arizona Science Desk are posted at our collaborating station, KJZZ: http://kjzz.org/science

Local Students Compete in Robotics Challenge

Teams of Yuma students and their robots will meet Dec. 5 at a tournament on the Arizona Western College campus.

Tournament director Shara Castro, an eighth grade teacher at St. Francis Catholic School, said the students have been preparing since August for the robot games.

Castro said the robotics challenge encourages students to think like engineers and scientists.

“Science, technology, math, engineering, all of those are included in what they have to do,” Castro said.

Each team has designed a robot that will move on its own. The robots are programmed to complete tasks during a timed trial, such as turning and picking up objects.

The competition is part of an Arizona State University outreach program called FIRST LEGO League.

Of the 36 teams competing in Yuma, the top six will advance to the statewide challenge in Tempe on Dec. 12.

Winners in the state competition will continue on to a global tournament.