MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Hundreds of innovative and tech-savvy teens from all over the country filled the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Saturday for the 14th annual FIRST Robotics competition.
More than 1500 students took part in the competition, including about 200 from Horry and Georgetown counties. They’ve all spent countless hours over the school building the robots that they entered in the competition. One of the teams that ranked in 1st place at one point during the competition is from right here in South Carolina. Members of that team from Hilton Head Island High School say it wasn’t easy getting to the top. Senior Melissa Bonvissuto says “it’s been pretty intense. Getting on that field and in that there’s been a lot of high anxiety moments, but I’ve got my team backing me up and it’s just such an amazing feeling to be here with all my closest friends and have this accomplishment.”
This is the 4th year the regional FIRST Robotics competition has been held in Myrtle Beach. The organizer has just committed to hold it in the city for the next 3 years as well.