We’re thrilled to share exciting news about the Searcy High School FIRST Robotics Team, Team #9067 The Goonies. They have recently been notified that they are the recipients of two grants to expand and enhance our competitive robotics program at the high school!
Competitive robotics thrives on grants and partnerships with local businesses and organizations, which provide students with high-quality opportunities to engage with STEM in exciting and transformative ways. The first award is a $3,000 Department of Defense STEM Grant for the
upcoming robotics season that begins in January. This funding will allow the team to participate in a second robotics competition in April.
This is in addition to the regional event hosted at our own Lion Arena in March. This grant is made possible through the support of one of our volunteer mentors, who is an active-duty member of the U.S. military.
The second award is a $2,750 Gene Haas Foundation Grant. A staunch supporter of STEM education and FIRST Robotics, the Gene Haas Foundation grant will enablethe team to purchase critical supplies and equipment necessary to design and build a competitive robot for the upcoming season. Each year, our students face the challenge of engineering a completely new robot to accomplish specific game tasks, competing both with and against other teams on the field.
We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Department of Defense and the Gene Haas Foundation in supporting the future of STEM education at Searcy High School. However, to meet the demands of building a highly competitive robot and participating in multiple events, we are seeking additional community-based sponsors.
Your support and generosity will directly inspire and equip the next generation of STEM leaders in our community. To learn more about how you can become a sponsor of Searcy High School’s FIRST Robotics Team, please visit https://bit.ly/SHSRobotics2025
The robotics team is mentored by two of our high school teachers, Austin Muse and Trevor McGarrah. Feel free to reach out to them if you have any questions about how you or your organization can help support the team. Their contact information is included in the file linked above.