AAMU Welcomes More than 600 Students for Regional STEM Competition
Alabama A&M University to Host South’s BEST Robotics Championship
Alabama A&M University will once again take center stage in STEM innovation as it hosts the South’s BEST Robotics Championship on Dec. 5–6 at Elmore Gymnasium.
The event, part of Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) Robotics, marks the second consecutive year that AAMU has hosted the regional championship. Last year, the University made history as the first HBCU to host the competition in its 30-year history.
Founded more than 30 years ago, BEST Robotics engages more than 18,000 students across 850 schools in 18 states. The program provides free robotics competitions that inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
More than 600 middle and high school students from Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia will compete after advancing from local hub competitions. In total, more than 1,200 students, teachers, parents and community supporters are expected to visit AAMU for a weekend celebrating creativity, teamwork and technological achievement.
“BEST Robotics provides an incredible opportunity for young students to explore the power of STEM through hands-on, project-based learning,” said Aundria Campbell, director of the AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center. “We are proud that Alabama A&M has been recognized as a regional leader in supporting the next generation of innovators.”
Campbell, who also serves as an advisor for AAMU’s VEX Robotics Team, the Bionic Bulldogs, said the group played an integral role in preparing for this year’s championship.
“I tasked them with building the game field, and I’m proud to say that we completed it, learned a great deal, and became a much closer group in the process,” Campbell said. “It was something they had never done before, but they succeeded. Typically, the Tennessee Valley Authority builds the field, but I wanted AAMU to take greater ownership of the event since we’re the host. I was confident they could meet the challenge – and they did.”
Throughout the two-day event, students will compete in head-to-head robot matches, present engineering design notebooks, deliver marketing presentations, and demonstrate team spirit and sportsmanship.
Judges will include AAMU students, faculty and staff, along with local business leaders, community partners and sponsors such as VEX Robotics, MathWorks, TVA affiliates, Huntsville Hospital, Space Club Huntsville and the Alabama State Department of Education.
The South’s BEST Robotics Championship is coordinated through the AAMU/UAH Regional Inservice Center under Campbell’s leadership. In addition to her role as Hub Director for Tennessee Valley BEST Robotics, she also serves as Regional Director for South’s BEST.
The event is free and open to the public, offering visitors an exciting look at innovation and teamwork in action. Volunteers are essential to the success of the championship, and AAMU students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members are encouraged to participate.