From left, Fort Frye High School students Colton O’Brien and Zane Campbell work to make their catapult bot shoot hoops during Tuesday’s robotics competition at the school. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

BEVERLY — Fort Frye High School welcomed students from five area high schools on Tuesday for its third annual robotics competition.

Teams from Fort Frye, Caldwell, Warren, Union Local, and Belpre schools participated in the event, which included both drone and VEX robotics challenges.

Tracey Huck, engineering teacher at Fort Frye Middle and High School, organized the competition to provide more students with access to hands-on STEM activities.

“Most tournaments only allow four or five students to compete,” Huck said. “Here, we’re able to involve around 100 students.”

The competition featured two events: a VEX robotics challenge, where students built “catapult bots” designed to launch balls into basketball hoops, and a drone course modeled after the Mission Blackout Aerial Drone Competition.

From left, Leham Lincoln, a Belpre High School student, and Emma Bober, from Union Local High School, pilot drones during Tuesday afternoon’s competition at Fort Frye High School. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

Students used pre-built drones but were responsible for maintaining and flying them through obstacle courses and onto designated landing pads.

Students competed in mixed-school alliances, working alongside peers from different districts. “They may usually compete against each other in sports,” Huck said, “but here, they’re working together.”

Everett Sampson, a sophomore at Fort Frye High School, participated in both challenges.

“It’s cool to build communication and teamwork with students from other schools,” he said.

Now in its third year, the Fort Frye Robotics Competition continues to bring together students from across the region to participate in engineering and technology-focused challenges. Organizers have kept the competition open to students involved in classes, school clubs, or outside robotics programs.

Union Local was among the participating schools, bringing students from its growing robotics club. Jamie Swallie, a science teacher from Union Local, explained that the school’s robotics program began about four years ago as an extension of its Project Lead the Way engineering courses.

“We started with bridge-building competitions in the New Philadelphia area,” Swallie said. “Every year, we just keep adding more and more.”

This is Union Local’s second year participating in the Fort Frye event. Swallie said the goal for students is straightforward: “Just have fun, learn, and build some confidence.”