“They don’t give you any plans or direction. They just show you the field, and say, ‘here are materials, build a robot that can complete the required tasks,’” Leslie Hood, head coach of Brookhaven Academy’s robotics team, said.

Hood recently traveled with the BA robotics team to BEST, a robotics competition where students are given materials, a goal and six weeks to prepare. After placing third out of 27 teams at Mississippi BEST last weekend, the 24 students in grades 7-12 in BA’s robotics team will move on to the South’s BEST regional competition at Auburn University.

BEST has a different theme every year, according to Hood. This year’s theme was Pay Dirt. Students were presented with an obstacle course simulating an abandoned mine in need of repair.

“We had to create a robot that could maneuver the mine,” Hood said. “The robot was required to repair a broken air filter, replace a broken water pipe, take a core sample and maneuver through the playing field to collect mineral samples.”

Building and driving a robot is just one part of the competition, according to Hood. The team must also form a company structure, design marketing materials for the robot and write a notebook documenting the project.

“The students create a company,” Hood said. “Our company is Brookhaven Academy Robotics Team. It actually has a CEO and COO and a CFO. We also have an engineering and marketing department. So it’s not just about building the robot. The students learn how to build a business, and how to build a brand.”

Hood was previously a teacher at Copiah-Lincoln Community College with a degree in microbiology. She credits Co-Lin’s own robotics team adviser Dr. Kevin McKone with encouraging her to start a robotics team at Brookhaven Academy.

“I told Dr. McKone, robotics is the best thing I’ve ever done … in my 10 years of education. It has inspired my students beyond my imagination,” Hood said.

Hood also acknowledged the important of parents for the team.

“The support we receive from parents … is beyond amazing. Everybody gets behind robotics and supports the teachers, and that makes my job easier,” Hood said.

According to Hood, some students have been inspired by their time on the robotics team to choose their college major.

“We have several boys interested in pursuing an engineering degree. One of my students has decided to obtain an MBA after her work on the team, she excels in the area of finances.”

Hood shares responsibility of coaching the robotics team with two others, Dianne Watson and Dorothy LeBlanc.

“We are very excited and proud of our students,” LeBlanc said. “It is a lot of hard work, and we all work well together as a team. That is what makes the biggest difference, and what I am most proud of.”

BA’s robotics team will compete again at the regional South’s BEST competition on Dec. 5 and 6.