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Flagstaff robotics teams headed to international competitions; city council to host student presentations in June
Summary
At the March 24 work session, CJ Perry (speaking on behalf of Flagstaff's robotics community) told the City Council that three local student teams have qualified for world or international championships and are fundraising for travel; staff has scheduled a formal June agenda item for direct student presentations.
CJ Perry, who introduced himself as the city's chief information officer but spoke to the council on behalf of the Flagstaff robotics community, used the council's open comment period on March 24 to spotlight three student teams that have advanced to national and international competitions. "Tonight I want to tell you about three Flagstaff student robotics teams that are heading to worldclass competitions," Perry said.
Perry described the Coconuts — the FIRST Robotics team from Cookanino High School — as having placed third out of 55 teams at the Arizona North regional and moving next to competitions in Boise and Denver before the world championship in Houston. He said the Coconuts previously won the FIRST World Championship two years ago and now need roughly $20,000 to fund travel to this year's event. He also described the Warrior Bots (a FIRST Tech Challenge team) and the Quantum Warriors (a FIRST Lego League team). Perry said the Warrior Bots earned the Inspire Award at state and posted a 130‑point final score (compared with 80 for second place) and that the Quantum Warriors placed second in an innovation project and will attend an international invitational in Atlanta.
Perry emphasized local partnerships and mentoring that underpin the teams' success: he thanked staff mentors and private partners, cited collaborations with Northern Arizona University and Tinkertopia, and described a nascent Flagstaff Robotics Alliance formed to support teams across schools. He asked the council to help the teams connect with potential funders and noted that the city clerk and staff are arranging a June agenda item during which the students themselves will present.
The item concluded with Council's appreciation and an invitation that staff coordinate the June presentation and any follow‑up for fundraising or facility support.
