Team Inconceivable will be “storming the castle” as the Monadnock 4-H robotics club has qualified for the international FIRST Robotics Competition Championships later this month.
Out of the 181 New England teams, Team Inconceivable was one of 42 to advance to the international competition, which begins next Wednesday in St. Louis, Missouri. The team was given the weekend to celebrate their victory, but now comes their next challenge: raising $12,000 in a week’s time to make it to the competition.
“I’m about 85 percent sure that we are going to be able to go,” said Brighid Wood, one of the team’s mentors. “We are trying to plan this trip on a very small budget. We are driving down, staying in cheap hotels, and trying to keep things as inexpensive as possible.”
Of the group’s $12,000 budget, $5,000 is to pay to get into the competition. Wood said that the group has agreed to paint the fence of a donor, in exchange for the $5,000 admission fee. In the next week, the group will have to raise the remaining $7,000 by any means necessary.
“It’s all hands on deck right now to get this money raised,” said Wood.
Wood said this is the first year the team has made it to the international competition in its eight year history, making the accomplishment all the more special.
Those who wish to donate can contact the robotics club at info@team1729.org or visit the club’s GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/b4uqq9jr.