Marshall Technical School is Registered!

We are excited that Marshall Technical School has registered to be a part of Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics in 2013. As you may recall, Marshall Tech came into the competition last year as the only team with experience in BEST Robotics. And as you may well know, there is no substitution for experience. Marshall Technical School performed admirably in 2012 winning first place in robot and in the BEST Award. They also represented us well in South's BEST.

But the slate is wiped clean.

2013 means a new year and a new game. We are looking forward to working with Marshall Technical School again this year and fully expect them to be "in the game".

Ider High School is on Board for 2013

We are pleased to announce that Ider High School has registered for Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics for 2013! This will be Ider's second year in the competition, so look for their competitiveness to be a factor. This team is quiet and reserved, but they may just be the team to watch. We are excited to have them on board for 2013!

DeKalb County Development Commission Contributes to Northeast Alabama BEST

We are pleased and grateful that the DeKalb County Development Commission has provided a significant contribution in support of Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics. This commission, made up of Senator Shadrack McGill, Representative Todd Greeson, and Probate Judge Ronnie Osborn, assists local causes using Tennessee Valley Authority in-lieu-of-tax funds.

Rainsville Chamber of Commerce Continues as Sponsor

We are pleased to announce that the Rainsville Chamber of Commerce has continued as a sponsor of Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics for 2013. The Chamber was one of our early sponsors from 2012 and continues to support this important initiative. We thank the Rainsville Chamber Board and staff for their continued support!

Fyffe High School Registered for 2013!

We are pleased that Fyffe High School has registered for Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics 2013 - Gatekeeper. Remember that Fyffe placed second last year in the BEST Award and, along with Marshall Technical School, represented Northeast Alabama BEST at South's BEST in Auburn. We are excited to have Fyffe on board for 2013!

Woodville High School Registered for Northeast Alabama BEST 2013

We welcome a strong returning team from Woodville High School to Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics for 2013. We are excited to have Woodville on board!

2013 BEST Robotics Registration: Pisgah High School

We are pleased to announce that Pisgah High School has registered for 2013 Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics. We are excited to see Pisgah compete again this year!

Registration has begun...Welcome Fort Payne High School!

We are pleased to announce that Fort Payne High School has registered to be a part of Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics for 2013. We are excited to have them as the first team to register!

Registration for BEST 2013 is Now Open!

The wait is over! Teams may now register for the 2013 BEST Robotics competition--Gatekeeper. One representative per team should register at this site: http://northeastalabamabest.eventbrite.com/#. The deadline to register is Friday, September 6, 2013.

Purchase Official Northeast Alabama BEST Merchandise

Show pride in your hub by purchasing your official Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics merchandise from our new online store! You may visit the store by visiting http://northeastalabamabest.qbstores.com/.

Accepting New Teams for BEST 2013

We are excited to announce that we will be able to accept up to 8 new teams for BEST this year. If you are a teacher or administrator at a middle or high school in DeKalb, Jackson, or Marshall County and are interested in learning more about BEST, please contact Nicole Carroll. We are excited to have scheduled visits for 4 potential new teams and hope to hear from more in the coming weeks.

Have Facebook?

Have you liked the BEST Robotics, Inc. site on Facebook?

How about the Northeast Alabama BEST Facebook page? 

Please do!

BEST Hub Co-Director Attends Prototype Game

Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics hub co-director Nicole Carroll recently attended the BEST Robotics Prototype Game Weekend, held in Mobile, Alabama. During the weekend, Mrs. Carroll was able to get a first glimpse at the game field and read the game rules. A favorite part of the weekend is when hub staff from across the country are given the opportunity to place a robot on the field to test the field.

Please click on the folder on the right to see photos of the weekend events....NOT! It will all remain a closely guarded secret until September 21.

While it would be nice to have a head start on the competition, that wouldn't be fair. But we can give you a list of things you can do to prepare for BEST 2013:

• Learn your programming software. Teams will be given a copy of Mathworks software when they register. Dig into your programming software files to refresh your memory.
• While tasks always vary, robots are typically made up of just a few main components: a system to move the robot, and an arm/hand system that can manipulate and/or move an object. Last year's game threw everyone a curve ball since the movement was up, and not on the floor. Even in the absence of game details you can work on design ideas for these specific components.
• Organize your team. Who will do marketing? Who will be your programmer? These are things that can be determined in advance of kick off, and will be valuable in helping you to determine who will attend which sessions on kick off day.
• Visit the Jubilee BEST website, and check out bESTology. Jubilee BEST is the designer for this year's game, and one of their teams recently visited with the President of the United States, so don't you think we need to see what these guys are doing?

Get ready...September 21 will be here sooner than you think!