About Us
Preparing Students for STEM Related Fields with Hands On Engineering
Our Story
Born in 2009, the Swansboro High School Zimanator Robotics Team started with only 7 students who had a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Since our conception we have grown to a team of over 20 students, and 10 mentors consisting of professional engineers, military, and former team members. For over 15 years Zimanator has been competing in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition. As the only team representing Onslow County, we have effectively competed head-to-head against 70 other teams across North Carolina reaching the semi-finals in district events, and making it to the State Championship in 2022.
More than just a robotics team, Zimanator’s mission truly is to prepare students for STEM related fields with hands on experience. Gleaning wisdom and advice from professional engineering mentors, students gain valuable experience in designing, building, and coding industrial sized robots from the ground up. From our team, over 35 former team members have gone on to colleges and universities studying engineering, computer science, and other STEM related fields, with several returning as mentors. Students also have the opportunity to qualify for over $80 million in college scholarships for their future.
Founded in 1989, the FIRST program was developed to inspire and drive interest in the fields of science and technology. The FIRST Robotics Competition combines the excitement of sports with the rigors of science. Under strict rules and limited resources teams are given a standard set of parts and game details at the beginning of January. Teams then have only eight weeks to construct and program an industrial size robot, which can operate both autonomously and via wireless controls, to accomplish prescribed tasks against a field of competitors. This is the varsity sport of the mind.
Meet The Team
