Pahokee School’s Robotics Program Gains National Recognition

Pahokee School’s ROBOTICS PROGRAM

GAINS NATIONAL RECOGNITION

PAHOKEE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL IS GAINING NATIONAL ACADEMIC RECOGNITION FOR its innovative robotics program. Pahokee Middle and High School is gaining national academic recognition for its innovative robotics program. Since its launch in the 2016-17 school year, the school’s Subaroos teams have competed at the state championship tournament as one of the best in Palm Beach County and South Florida.

“I am so proud of our robotics program that I brought to Pahokee Middle,” said Dwayne L. Dennard, principal. “To see it grow into the recognizable program it is today, is due to the hard work of our supporters, students, mentors and most importantly our coaches.”

“Four years ago, the robotics program started off with three students as part of the competitive team that earned its way all the way to the First Lego League State Tournament,”said Coach Luis Paniaqua, head of the program. “Since then, the number of students has grown to two First Lego League teams at Pahokee Middle School and the first high school First Tech Challenge robotics team for our students at Pahokee High School,” he said.

In the 2017-18 school year, the Pahokee Subaroos earned a bid to participate at the FIRST Lego League Razorback Invitational National Tournament where Paniaqua was named the “Robotics Coach of the Year” in 2018-19.

“We are helping to build a tradition to make Pahokee known academically just as it is for athletics,” said Paniaqua. “While this is still a fairly young program, our students have rapidly made an impact in the South Florida robotics circles and beyond. Equally important is the impact that our students are making in our community and in the world as a whole.”