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Atascadero board recognizes robotics teams; students’ safety push led to red curb and follow‑up with city
Summary
Board recognized AMS/Atascadero robotics teams for competition success and heard that Paloma Creek students' safety concerns prompted the city to paint a red curb; students had asked for a 25 mph school zone, but city research has not approved that change.
Trustees recognized middle‑school robotics teams for recent competition results and heard reports that student advocacy led to local safety improvements near Paloma Creek High School.
District presenters said 15 AMS students attended the Coast Fusion Robotics Invitational in Santa Maria on Jan. 24; four robots competed, three placed in the top 10 of driving skills, and one team — recorded in materials and remarks as "Team 5 5 9 0 6 a" — won an excellence award for robot design, the engineering notebook and teamwork. Students and advisers thanked mentors and donors; student speakers included Max Vergara (club president), Emma Moyer (vice president) and Ethan Stewart (treasurer), and advisers referenced in remarks included Kelly Porterfield and Jack Bowen.
Trustees also heard how Paloma Creek High School students and staff took student‑safety concerns to the Atascadero City Council after a fatal crash near El Camino Real. The students requested a 25 mph school zone, painted red curbs and no‑parking zones to improve pedestrian visibility. Board remarks noted that city staff — including City Manager Jim Lewis and Public Works Director Nick DeBarr — met with the students for a follow‑up at the high school and that the city painted a red curb as part of those actions. A presenter told the board that, while the red curb was implemented, city research did not support reclassifying the area as a 25 mph school zone.
Board members praised the students for civic engagement and said the collaboration is an example of how students can influence local policy. The superintendent and trustees invited students and staff to continue working with the city on additional safety measures and requested a photo opportunity to document the recognition and follow‑up.
