Amazing youth and their robots getting support from Southern Star

In 2019, Southern Star began and ongoing effort to focus a portion of their annual corporate giving and volunteer work on the enriching robotics programs found in middle and high schools around their company’s work locations.

Early in the year, Southern Star’s support helped youth robotics teams compete in Oklahoma. Blackwell Middle School hosted a robotics tournament with more than 25 elementary and middle schools from around the state. Students design, build, and program the machines for different challenges. Students from Blackwell Middle School took home several awards including second place in the skills challenge, the Inspire Award, and the Think Award. Staff from our Blackwell team volunteered for the event.

Later in the year, a group of Southern Star volunteers were recently honored for their support of student robotics. Southern Star sponsored the year’s program and Blackwell team members donated their time throughout the season. Our staff served as judges and timekeepers for more than 250 matches last weekend for the tournament! To recognize our efforts, Blackwell Middle School robotics instructor Kari Widener presented Southern Star with the VEX IQ Robotics Volunteer of the Year award! Barry Ungles, Operations Leader in Blackwell, accepted the award on our company’s behalf. We wish the robotics team much success!

In Owensboro, Southern Star hosted a demonstration by the Apollo High School Robotics Team on January 21st. Local robotics teams are receiving financial and volunteer support from Southern Star employees, including assistance in upcoming competitions in February.

In December, Owensboro Innovation Academy awarded our company “Community Partner of the Year” for sponsoring their robotics program, volunteering time at tournaments, and providing resources for student success. It’s been a rewarding experience for our staff to become involved. The kids shared excitement teaching our employees how the robots are built, operated, and the rules of a match. The object of the game is to collect more points than the opposing team by winning scoring caps, toggling flags, and parking the robot on special platforms on the field.

Southern Star is committed to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)! Thanks to all team members who volunteered! We wish the best of luck to all the teams we support in 2020 and beyond!