TECH: Put it in positive spotlight

Technology is our future…that’s what everyone says. Bring Technology into the area… we need more technology in our schools… and kids need more science than video games.

With technology in schools comes the need for community support, just like sports — these things don’t come free. There was a Regional FIRST Robotics Competition April 4-7 at EWU in Cheney and yet no articles were written. It was so close and three teams won awards and yet no pictures or articles were written. CDA TeraViks team No. 3145 won the Industrial Design Award and also are a Regional Finalist. This means they are raising money to go to St. Louis for Nationals. Alaysia Marshall from team No. 3513 Lakeland High School Rathdrum won FIRST Dean’s List Finalist. KTEC (Kootenai Technical Education Campus) Misfit Toys No. 4520 won the Rookie All Star Award. This team is a combination of Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene and Lakeland school district students. They also received an invite to Nationals but were unable to raise the money to go. (Results found: www2.usfirst.org/2013comp/events/WACH/awards.html)

There are no pictures of them with these awards in the paper, no articles about their accomplishments and no pats on the back. Three local teams from three local high schools that got a robot to throw a Frisbee. Have you tried Frisbee Golf? It’s not as easy as it looks, much less having a robot doing it. Where’s the recognition for these students for all their hard work?

It seems to me like everyone around here from the school districts to the Coeur d’Alene Press to the businesses could be supporting the future “Techies” better. Take a look at what these kids built here are the pictures from the competition. The robots are incredible and so are the kids who built them. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/firstwamediacrew/sets/72157633185417632/)

I say Congrats and way to go to everyone involved with all three teams. And for those who don’t know about these awesome kids and what they can build — you are really missing out.

Way to represent North Idaho!

CHRISTINA BUDD

Post Falls