TES hosts first robotics competition
Twenty-three teams compete in the robotics competition hosted by Tharptown Elementary School.
Franklin County, News, Top News Stories FRONT PAGE, Z - News Main, Z - TOP HOME
 By  Lauren Wester Published 
7:47 am Tuesday, November 27, 2018

TES hosts first robotics competition

Nov. 14 Tharptown Elementary School hosted its first robotics competition under the guidance of instructor Jake Ward.

“It was pretty fun. We wanted to set a standard and show what Tharptown can do,” Ward said.

Twenty-three teams participated in the competition that was held at the A.W. Todd Center in Russellville.

“I was blown away by the turn out. We weren’t expecting it,” Ward said.

Teams from Belgreen, Red Bay, Vina and Russellville competed, as well as teams from Florence and Hartselle. Tharptown itself didn’t have any teams participate; Ward said this was to avoid any appearance of favoritism, since people from Tharptown served as judges.

TES teachers who served as judges were Kendra Ward, Erin Masterson, Amanda Odom and Tracy Elgin.

“We had great support from the community, the school and the parents,” Ward said.

The competition was open to students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Ward said the biggest age group was the third- through fifth-graders.

Riverhill’s team won the kindergarten through second-grade division. The Vina Devilbots won the third- through fifth-grade division. The Red Bay Tigerbots won the sixth- through eighth-grade division.

Also on Franklin County Times
Russellville to host MLK march on Monday
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Franklin County Martin Luther King Memorial Scholarship Committee is planning its annual commemoration march, which this year will ...
Career tech programs return to remodeled RHS building
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Students at Russellville High School returned from winter break last week to a newly remodeled and expanded Career Technical Education ...
Dowdy sentence delayed
Main, News, Russellville
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The sentencing of Brandy Dowdy will have to wait until another day after her defense attorney suffered a “medical emergency.” Dowdy’s s...
MLK march is about ‘keeping the dream alive’
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Rev. B.J. Bonner was 11 years old in the summer of 1963 when the civil rights movement reshaped the South and communities across Al...
FCREA finalizes 2025, looks ahead to 2026
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
January 14, 2026
There are moments in our meetings that stay with you long after the chairs are folded and the dishes are washed. One of those moments came in November...
This year, let’s resolve to be more involved
Columnists, Opinion
January 14, 2026
Stop eating desserts. Go to the gym every day. Read 50 books this year. Learn a language. Start my retirement savings. Every year we make our resoluti...
RHS track looks ahead to state meet
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville High School track athletes have posted multiple top 10 and top 20 section finishes this season, along with podium performa...
Vote of Red Bay budget delayed until February
News, Red Bay
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
January 14, 2026
RED BAY — City councilmembers will vote next month on the 20025–26 fiscal year budget. Mayor Mike Shewbart told the council last week the budget was n...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *