Nearly 1,000 colorful rubber ducks took over the Powell Aquatic Center on March 7. The floating fowl, which were sold by robotics student in the community for a fundraising “race,” earned nearly $4,000, a record amount.

Community members who held the three winning ducks won gift baskets — the first place basket was valued at over $500, coach Joel Hayano said. First, second and third place winners were Erin Beavers, Edna Snyder and Ron Scott.

But Powell High School’s robotics teams have a lot more than rubber duckies to brag about. One team, 3188 (Squiggle Splat Bang), won the competition category at state to punch a ticket to the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship in Houston, Texas in April along with Dexter Opps, who qualified as a FIRST Tech Challenge Dean’s List finalist. Finalists will be competing for one of 10 slots on the 2023-2024 FIRST Tech Challenge Dean’s List. The organization said these students are leaders who have increased awareness for FIRST and its mission.

Fundraising is currently underway for the trip to Houston. The duck race does not directly contribute, that fundraiser is for students in the robotics program as a whole, Hayano said. Although the duck money allocated per student could follow those students to the World Championship.

Powell had a good performance at state, Hayano said. They had “a lot of teams at the top” but other teams in the state are improving. This year Jackson Hole won the coveted Inspire award, which was won by Powell’s Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly team last year. 

“I would say that there were a lot of ups and downs at state,” said Ethan Cartier of Squiggle Splat Bang. “You have to work with a lot of people that I think otherwise you wouldn’t necessarily work with that are just in different skill levels. So I think that kind of diversifies your capabilities as a team.”  

Teammate Mason Coombs is looking forward to spending more time with his team while at the World Championship as well as the students of Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly, who will be joining them.

“I feel like it’s just gonna be fun, just the most fun I’ve had in a while and I’m looking forward to that,” Coombs said. “And also seeing different people from different countries, and places see what’s different, how the robots are different than ... in Wyoming, or in the states.”

Opps isn’t sure what competition will look like for him as a Dean’s List competitor but he’s excited for the experience. Most of the time he will be assisting Squiggle Splat Bang as they compete and then on Friday there will be a meeting for Dean’s List students.

“I think it should be pretty exciting,” Opps said. “I don’t know how well I’m gonna do, because I’ve never done it before. So it’ll be interesting to see if I make the top 10 or not, but I’m excited to go regardless.”