From staff reports
The Emlenton based 4-H Electrotechs robotics club was honored at a community-based celebration Thursday night at the Crawford Center.
The team gathered to thank the community for its support in their journey to the World Championships in St. Louis earlier this year, where the team won the Judges Award.
The group was able to raise $15,000 in a month to fund its trip to the competition, something the team of young people credit to the efforts of the community.
The judges were also impressed at the Pittsburgh regional that the group had so many diverse sponsors.
“Win or lose these kids represent us well and this time, they won” said State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, who has a daughter on the team.
During Thursday’s event, team members demonstrated how the robot was operated and the process of building the machine.
Emlenton Mayor Tim Russell said “the future of the world is here and it’s nice that it starts in a small town.”
The team is made up of students from local schools who are in fourth grade through seniors in high school. Team members are Sam Anderson, Roe Baum, Hunter Bilotto, Wyeth Bilotto, Brady Cullen, Brady Feicht, John Healy, John Hetrick, Lucy Hutchinson, Susan Kandor, Briar Kentzel, Christian Pierotti, Jonathan Sherwin, Robert Wenner Jr, Jayden Wolford and Cadyn Woods.