Engineering students will compete in a contest called BEST Robotics in Lubbock on Oct. 27.

The contest requires them to build a robot that will be able to climb up an 8 ft. pole, and pick up various objects in three minutes.

“Last year, all it had to do was pick stuff up,” junior Carter Lytal said. “Now, it has to climb up an eight foot pole, so it’s more challenging than it has been.”

The students will be judged on a wide variety of components: a notebook, the robot, how the robot performs, team spirit, marketing, interview, shirt and name.

“These guys are pretty fired up right now,” engineering technology instructor Bill Troyer said. “I hope they stay on that path. I have faith that they will.”

The team consists of Chance Turner, Zack Kelley, Andrew Walsh, Blake Hartman, Carter Lytal, Thayne Slater, Landon Work, Allen Houk, Thomas Heymer and Jade Roach.

“It’s nice to have others around,” sophomore Landon Work said. “It takes some of the pressure off knowing that there are others working on the project and getting stuff done.”

With the deadline nearing, the pressure to get the robot put together before the competition is increasing. Team members said they are determined to create a quality project.

“I like seeing all the pieces and parts we cut out come together, and working together to make the robot a serious competitor in the contest,” Work said.

The team will hold a practice competition Oct. 20, then travel to Lubbock on Oct. 27 to compete in the actual contest.