High school students from Ramona Unified School District are preparing for another season of competition on a different kind of playing field.
   Combining the excitement of competitive sportsmanship with the science of the mind, the Neo-Tech robotics team is gearing up for its fourth season.  
   “It really is a competitive sport,” said Richard Waters, robotics coordinator and Ramona High School math teacher. “The students have strict guidelines to follow, limited resources to construct a robot that will accomplish a set of given tasks and a deadline.”  
   This “varsity sport of the mind” challenges students beyond an ordinary classroom experience.  
   The robotics club began in Ramona at Sun Valley Charter High School in 2006. Principal David Tarr was looking into student opportunities for the advancement of technology. School board member Roger Dohm recommended joining with  FIRST robotics for the school.  FIRST is an acronym—For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
   When Sun Valley Charter High closed, the robotics group moved to Mountain Valley Academy at Ramona Community School and then to Ramona High School.
   As students achieve a better understanding of the science and technology involved in building a robot for competition, “gracious professionalism” among competitors is encouraged.
   Though the Neo-Tech team meets at Ramona High School, any high school student in the Ramona Unified School District may join the team. Current members come from Ramona High School, Mountain Valley Academy, and Montecito High School.  
   The group has won an award every year since it began, from the “Rookie All Star Award” the first year  to the Judges Award the second and Imagery Award the third.  
   “It is a competitive sport,” explain Neo-Tech team members. “We travel to the San Diego Sports Arena and compete against teams from all over the world.”
   Teamwork leads the students through the task of designing, building and programming a robot to perform a given set of tasks against other teams. The experience, according to Waters, is as close to “real-world engineering” as one can get.  
   The rewards in such a program can be staggering.  As students compete in tournaments, it is possible for them to earn a place in the World Championship, where there is a possibility to qualify for more than $11 million in college scholarships.
   The kick-off for Build Season 2010 begins on Jan. 9. The team will be given a basic box of parts along with a task sheet. Neo-Tech will design, build and program the 2010 robot for competition at Qualcomm Stadium in March.
   Funding for the robotics program is primarily from Qualcomm Inc., BAE Systems, Kiwanis, and small businesses and corporations. Volunteer mentors and financial and community support are encouraged, as the program is growing.   
   About 16 students are on the Neo-Tech robotics team, and there’s room for more. RUSD high school students interested in learning more about the program are invited to come to the team meetings. Team Neo-Tech meets every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Room E17 at Ramona High School. For more information, contact Waters at  760-787-4157 or rwaters@ramonausd.net.