CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With a limited budget and old materials, the robotics club at Flour Bluff High School beat the odds to become UIL State Semi-finalists.
Since 2020, the school's robotics club had not competed but that changed when science teacher Andy Hernandez decided to bring the team back.
"This year I wasn’t going to compete, but I had three students that convinced me, ‘Hey, we want to do a team,’" Hernandez said. "I asked them if you’re willing to put in the time then let’s go ahead and do it."
President and social media manager Alysee Zertuche and team captain Dalena Duan said the road to success was not an easy one.
"So, it was over a series of months...which is like figuring out what we can do versus what we can’t do, what we’re able to code versus what we’re not able to code," Zertuche said.
Their robot was created with borrowed equipment from another school and old parts like a 10-year-old motor from the previous team.
"So, I initially didn’t think we had a chance," Hernandez said. "So, what we did was focused on just strategy and hoping for the best."
With hand-me-down material and a positive attitude, the students made it to the semi-final round in their first year back.
"It’s not just some little thing to make UIL State, it’s a big deal," Zertuche said. "For us to get there at that level, and we’re just newbies like it’s a really cool and a very rewarding."
Hernandez said for the team to make it to the semi-finals it means a lot.
"We didn't know we were going to go this far," Hernandez said. "All through out the season, I told the kids, 'this is probably as far as we are going to go so just enjoy the moment.' We had nothing to lose and for some reason we just kept advancing."
Flour Bluff Superintendent Chris Steinbruck said the robotic club's hard work hasn't gone unnoticed in the community.
"I don’t think they realized what an impact they’ve had on Flour Buff ISD and how proud we are of them of their hard work," Steinbruck said.
Zertuche and Duan said they're excited to share this success as a team but more so as a family.
"Making it this far as a team, it’s like their my friends, no, we’re family now," Duan said.
Hernandez said his students have set the bar high for the next season.
"I keep telling them success is not guaranteed but I can guarantee that we can work hard," Hernandez said. "We are going to put in the same amount of work, and we’ll see what the outcome is."
Hernandez said former Flour Bluff alumni and Mechanical Engineer at Corpus Christi Army Depot Emily Hellums and Software Developer at Dalcom Engineering Chris Mcgregor served as mentors for the robotics club.
Flour Bluff ISD Club members:
- Coach – Mr. Andy Hernandez
- Dalena Dunn – Team Captain (10th grade)
- Leann Leos- Gonzalez – Management (9th grade)
- Mathew Burinda – Driver/drone team – (9th grade)
- Gage Widas – drone team (9th grade)
- Ryan Leary – Mechanic/ Construction (9th grade)
- Tyler Ferris – Builder/programmer (12th grade)
- Cooper Floyd – Main driver/programmer (12th grade)
- Alysse Zertuche – President/Social Media Manager ( 12th grade)
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