🖥️ TLH Robots Goes to World's | CityClips #359

🤖 Tallahassee Robotics: From TLH to the World Stage! | Tallahassee Democrat

• Florida A&M University hosted the FIRST Robotics Tallahassee Regional from March 13-16, bringing together students who spent months designing and fine-tuning their robots, and the competition showcased incredible teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation. FIRST Robotics is the only competition where every kid can go pro, making it a truly unique experience!

• 👦 Tally’s Young Innovators Take the Spotlight – The Gorillabots, a team of 6 middle schoolers, are making waves in the robotics world. They are one of two Florida teams advancing to the FIRST LEGO League World Championship in Houston, Texas, from April 16-19. Their journey began with local and state competitions, proving their creativity and teamwork could take them to the global stage.

• 🌐 From LEGO Fun to Global Competition – What started as a fun LEGO-building hobby turned into a high-stakes competition. The Gorillabots have designed and programmed their own robot to complete complex obstacle course missions, competing alongside 160 teams from around the world. They have also developed the "Ocean Explorers Kit," a set of six ocean-themed experiments that bring deep-sea mysteries to life.

• 🦍 Meet the Gorillabots – The team is made up of Aiden Sung, Max Fuselier, Hawk Duncan, Rory Hagaman, Heru Dallas, and Juliette Friedman. Their dedication, problem-solving skills, and close friendship make them a strong contender on the world stage. Led by volunteer coaches Ben Sung and Robby Fuselier, the team is part of Tally Robotics, a Big Bend hub for STEM education and competitive opportunities.

• ✨ More Than Just Robots – FIRST LEGO League is about more than building and coding; it’s about teamwork, innovation, and values. The Gorillabots live by six key principles: fun, teamwork, inclusion, impact, innovation, and discovery. They even added their own: "co-operatition" (cooperation + competition) and "gracious professionalism," which means competing hard while staying humble and kind.

• 🤝 Support Their Journey – Traveling to Houston for the world championship comes with costs, and the team is raising funds to cover registration, travel, and lodging expenses, totaling around $8,000. If you’d like to help send the Gorillabots to Houston, consider donating here. Let’s support these young innovators as they bring Tallahassee to the world stage! 🚀

Image Source: News4Jax

🎮 Jacksonville’s Reddi Or Not Multimedia Brings Local Tourism to Fortnite | News4Jax

• Reddi Or Not Multimedia, a Jacksonville-based company, is creating custom Fortnite maps to promote local businesses and boost tourism. Founders Alanna Jackson and David Layne turned a spontaneous idea into a growing project that blends gaming with real-world locations, offering players an immersive experience tied to Jacksonville’s landmarks.

• Their first major success, the Hilltop map, features well-known Jacksonville spots like Hilltop Apartments and the Gate gas station on Moncrief Road. The map gained unexpected popularity as players shared and explored the virtual recreation of these familiar places, proving the potential of using gaming to engage communities. 👬

• Jackson, a Black woman in the gaming industry, has faced challenges but remains determined to break barriers. “Because I’m a woman doing this, people assume I’m just here for emotional support,” she said. “I’m a relentless person. I’m not gonna stop.” Her dedication and creativity continue to push the company forward.

• The company has ambitious plans to expand, including a large-scale map representing all of Jacksonville, a project estimated to take about a year. With increasing interest and the possibility of investors, Reddi Or Not Multimedia is turning digital landscapes into real-world connections, helping to bring new energy to Jacksonville’s tourism industry.

• Visit Gainesville Alachua County

• Infinity VR Games

• GRUCom Fiber Optic Communications

• Campbell Spellicy Engineering

• Capital City Bank

• Finale Events

• Gas South

• PHOS Creative

• Runaway Horses

• I Am Creative

• SJK•PR

• Springhill Suites by Marriott

• Sun Country Sports Center

• The Start Squad

• West Networks

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