Hile Controls of Alabama: B.E.S.T Robotics

Through ISA’s (International Society of Automation) Workforce Development campaign Catherine Andrews got involved with B.E.S.T. Robotics and had the opportunity to watch the Blazer BEST kick-off meeting for 2008. The meeting was transformational. The excitement of the students and adults could be heard throughout Bartow Arena in Birmingham. This excitement has spread to other members of the Birmingham Section of ISA. The Section has gotten on board with both the Blazer BEST and War Eagle BEST with monetary donations since 2008. Hile Controls of Alabama, Inc. encourages all who check out our website to check out BEST Robotics, too. Our children are the future; let’s help to develop some Engineers, Scientists and more folks to work in the Technical Field of Instrumentation, Automation and Control.

BEST is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to inspire students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like, science and engineering-based robotics competition.

• BEST Robotics Inc. (BRI) is a non-profit, volunteer organization based in Dallas, TX. Started in 1993 with 14 competing schools and 221

students, today BEST has over 700 middle and high schools and over 10,000 students participating each fall.

• There is no fee for schools to compete in BEST.
• BEST features two parallel competitions:

- A robotics game, which is based upon an annual theme with four teams competing at once in a series of three-minute, round-robin

- The BEST Award, which is presented to the team that best embodies the concept of Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology.

Elements include a project summary notebook, oral presentation, table display, and spirit and sportsmanship.

• Each school is provided kits of equipment and parts, a set of game rules, and given six weeks to design, build, and test a small

• Winning teams from local competition sites (called “hubs”) advance to regional championship sites (“regionals”).
• Engineers and other technical professionals from local industries serve as team mentors who advise and guide students through the design

• Anyone—colleges/universities, corporations, individuals—can start a new hub serving a minimum of eight teams. The average first-year cost for

• Local hubs rely on financial support from corporations and/or colleges/universities in order to allow schools to participate at no cost.

• Promote the growth of hubs across the U.S., thus maximizing the “pipeline” of future engineers, scientists, and technical professionals.
• Increase participation of women and minority students in rural and inner city schools.
• Enlist more colleges/universities and corporations to become collaborative educational partners with BEST.

• Enhances teaching/teacher effectiveness
• Reinforces classroom learning
• Creates real-world academic challenge
• Increases students’ interest in and understanding of engineering and science
• Exposes students to new career opportunities
• Provides competition/fun
• Promotes school spirit and sense of community

• Increases understanding of technical concepts and scientific principles
• Provides real-world engineering experience with limited resources
• Reinforces project management concepts with constrained time period
• Encourages abstract thought, self-directed learning, and problem solving
• Promotes team building, good sportsmanship, leadership, and ethical conduct
• Produces pride in success