Robotics team receives county support ahead of Governor’s Cup trip
Photo: Joe Ricker (right) with Raymond Rule and Nathan Ricker demonstrate their robot to the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
HERNANDO — The DeSoto County Board of Supervisors got a firsthand look Tuesday morning at one of Mississippi’s top youth robotics programs as the DeSoto Technix demonstrated their award‑winning robot and received county support for their upcoming trip to Washington, D.C.
The seven‑member team, coached by Joe Ricker, brought two of its student leaders to the meeting: team captain Nathan Ricker and driver Raymond Rule, who helped present the robot and explain the engineering behind it.
“This team started three years ago,” Coach Ricker told supervisors as he introduced Nathan and Raymond. “Last year, they won the Mississippi State Championship and finished fifth at the World Championship in Houston.”
The team’s accomplishments place them among the world’s elite. Last season, DeSoto Technix ranked seventh globally and earned an invitation to the prestigious Maryland Tech Invitational, where they finished fourth. This year, they have already won qualifying events in Tupelo and Water Valley and will compete at the Mississippi State Championship in Oxford in two weeks.
Their next stop, however, is Washington, D.C., where they will represent Mississippi at the Governor’s Cup, an exhibition event highlighting STEM education nationwide.
“All seven members will be there,” Ricker said. “We’re proud to represent our state and community.”
A Student‑Engineered Robot
During the demonstration, Nathan Ricker walked supervisors through the robot’s design, explaining its:
- active intake system for collecting five‑inch game balls
- turreted shooter mounted on a rotating Lazy Susan
- adjustable hood for long‑ and short‑range shots
- PTO‑driven climbing system that lifts the robot to make room for a second robot during endgame scoring
The robot took roughly two and a half months to design and build, with extensive CAD work completed before assembly.
County Approves $700 Donation
Supervisor Robert Foster made the motion to donate $700 to help cover the team’s travel costs for the seven students heading to Washington. The motion passed unanimously.
Community‑Funded and Industry‑Supported
DeSoto Technix operates as a community‑based team under the nonprofit Northwest Mississippi Robotics. Funding comes from family contributions, private donors, and corporate sponsors including Tegra Medical, Nucor Steel, Medtronic, and the Gene Haas Foundation.
“We’re little back‑country Mississippi kids, and we’re one of the top teams in the world,” one supervisor said, praising the students’ work ethic and accomplishments.
The team departs Wednesday for Washington.
