Lexington-Richland School District Five’s FIRST Robotics Competition team representing all four high schools, The Pandamaniacs, won the third annual South Carolina Robotics and Practical tournament July 15, 2023 in Sumter. They competed against teams from Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina with a new upgrade of the team’s 2023 robot, Blocky “Mater” Balboa, winning the 6-way playoff bracket as the 6th seed alongside alliance partners Webb Robotics from Knoxville, TN and Technical Terminators from Marion, SC. It is the second straight year the team has won a tournament.
Additionally, Chapin High School Class of 2023 member Fred McGaughey was awarded a $2500 scholarship by FIRST South Carolina. McGaughey joined the Pandamaniacs as a freshman with a focus on computer-aided design and is headed to Texas A&M to study civil engineering.
The Pandamaniacs are celebrating their 20th season of competition this year and are sponsored by Michelin, Shaw Inc, and Pandamaniacs family, friends, and alumni.
