robotics club

Robotics Club Sponsor 

Ralph Hickman

Piedmont Academy's Robotics Team competes in the Georgia BEST Robotics’ competition!

BEST stands for “Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology.”

The BEST program involves six weeks of intensive work to design, to build, and to test a robot that can perform a specific task on a “playing field” along with robots from competing schools. The competition’s sponsors will provide the parts from which the robot must be made. Adult mentors will offer advice and direction, but students will be responsible for satisfying the competition requirements—that is, they will do the work.


At the competition, the team will be judged on the following:


  1. The performance of the team’s robot in its execution of the task for which it was built.
  2. The content of an engineering notebook which documents the process the team used to design, to build, and to test the robot.
  3. An oral presentation about the team’s efforts to create the robot and a display of a website dedicated to informing the public about Piedmont’s robotics’ team.
  4. A table display or small booth which communicates the team’s efforts to promote BEST in the Monticello community.
  5. The team’s spirit and sportsmanship as shown by the conduct of team members at the competition and in personal interviews conducted by the judges.


Our team needs students who will contribute in the areas of problem solving (conceptualizing), mechanics (designing, constructing, and testing), physical coordination (driving the robot), documenting team meetings and events through photography and video, writing for the engineering notebook, public speaking, creating and maintaining a website, designing artwork for a team t-shirt and a table display, and giving positive support to fellow team members throughout the six-week competition period.