R4Creating advances to regional championship

RIO RANCHO — A youth robotics team with R4Creating, a STEM learning center based in Rio Rancho, is headed to a regional championship in Dallas early next month.

ECHO, comprised of 15 students, qualified for the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) of Texas Robotics Championship, Dec. 10-13, following several high-placing wins and one award from the Falcon BEST Robotics Competition Oct. 18 at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, according to a news release.

“(I’m) so proud of them,” said Shelly Gruenig, founding executive director of R4Creating, who is also ECHO’s coach.

The team won first place in the categories of robot, overall, engineering notebook, team exhibit and interviews, and spirit and sportsmanship, the release said. ECHO also took home third place for its marketing presentation and won an award for most robust machine.

“They’ve practiced so well, they’ve fine-tuned that robot and I’m really excited and enthused to see what they accomplish in Dallas in December,” Gruenig said.

The accolades come as R4 celebrated its new building on Sara Road with a grand opening event last week.

Johannes Starks, national executive director, BEST Robotics, Inc., and executive director, BEST of Texas Robotics, Inc., said her organization congratulates “the bright minds” of R4CReating.

“They will compete against 85 other teams from across three states, but the most important feature of their success is the journey,” Starks said in a prepared statement. “From their engineering notebook detailing their processes and pivots to the fabrication of their robot for this year’s game theme of FACTOID, they have certainly grown through hands-on exploration, innovative and resilient mindsets, and STEAM-oriented opportunities that will lead them to develop as top-caliber talent for our future.”

Gruenig’s advice for her team is for them to have fun, remain humble and “be their best at BEST,” she said with a laugh.