High school robotics tournament set for Sunday

Forty-six area high school teams will compete in the fifth annual FIRST Technology Challenge robotics competition from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Show Me Center, according to a news release from Southeast Missouri State University.

The challenge will be the largest qualifying event in the state, the release said. The free event is one of more than 100 taking place in 15 countries with the objective of getting to the world championship in St. Louis.

Competition starts about noon, the release said. The FIRST Tech Challenge is where teams of high school students spend months putting together and programming robots to compete against other squads, the release said.

For younger children interested in robotics, a FIRST Lego League display will be available about noon, the release said. Information will be available to those wishing to start their own teams, the release said.

For more information, contact Brad Deken at Southeast Missouri State University at (573) 651-2104 or bdeken@semo.edu.