Bonners Ferry High School Robotics Team “Alpha+” on Saturday won first place at the Oregon Pacific Regional Robotic competition in Portland.

Head Coach Ed Katz said the team will compete at the national level on Wednesday, April 14, in Atlanta.

Team Alpha+ met with fierce competition with over 61 teams from the Pacific Northwest from as far as California and Hawaii.

Teams build the robots and participate in a tournament where the object of the game is to earn a higher score than the opponent by shooting balls into the goals, climbing or hanging from a tower or platform or lifting another alliance robot off the ground.

Team Alpha+ tied one game, had two losses then went on a winning streak for the final 13 games.

Team Alpha+ students beat teams sponsored by Xerox, Hewlett Packard, Boeing and Microsoft. 

The students prepared  for the competition for six weeks.

Team Alpha+ was sponsored by North Idaho Discovery Association,  Bonners Ferry Lion's Club, Mercedesmccreight.com, Badger Booster Club, Maxfield Family Fund, JRS Survey, Ripley Comegy’s, C.E. Kramer Contracting, Foust Incorporated, Ruth Ann and Jim Wilson, Bear Mechanical and Jan and Dan Studer.

Team Alpha+ was started in 2007 by Ed Katz, a science teacher at Bonners Ferry High School.

Though they started out small, with around 16 members, Team Alpha+ has grown to 30 students and as a recently labeled veteran team. Their plan was to dominate this years competition and that they did.

An assembly was held Monday in recognition of Team Alpha+ BFHS principal Curt Randall Bayer acknowledged the team as well as 250 students who achieved academic, sports and citizenship awards.

“This is an awesome example of the fact that Bonners Ferry kids are the best kids around,” said Bayer. 

“Thanks to all the programs for all of your efforts.”

The team will be raising money for travel to Atlanta. People interested in making a donation can send it to Bonners Ferry High School at 6485 Tamarack Lane, in Bonners Ferry. 

A donation to the school is worth a 50 percent income tax credit for 2010. Bayer said to make sure the donations is labeled that it is for the Robotics team.

For information, call 267-3149.