Coca-Cola Space Science Center to Host Muscogee County School District Robotics Competition

Staff Report

The Coca-Cola Space Science Center, in partnership with the Muscogee County School District, will host a robotics competition on Saturday, Mar. 1, 2025, featuring 29 teams from local elementary and middle schools. The event, held at Downtown Elementary Magnet Academy, will run from 8 to 10:30 a.m., with prime action between 9 and 10 a.m.

During the competition, students will put their LEGO-based robotic creations to the test in timed challenges designed to simulate NASA space competencies, including autonomous operation, precision, dexterity and navigation of rugged terrain.

A panel of judges, consisting of technology and science professionals, along with Columbus State University faculty and staff, will score each team’s performance. High school students also will showcase advanced robotic knowledge through demonstrations.

The competition is part of a longstanding partnership between the Coca-Cola Space Science Center and the Muscogee County School District, which serves more than 17,000 students annually through educational programs, exhibits, a planetarium and an observatory.

The initiative aims to inspire future science, technology, engineering and mathematics leaders by fostering problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork skills among students.

Portions of the event and the broader CCSSC-MCSD partnership are supported by U.S. Department of Education funding, which helps develop a STEM pipeline from K-12 education through college and into the workforce.

For more information, contact:

• Columbus State University: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706-507-8729 (office), 334-703-2643 (cell/text), mtullier@columbusstate.edu
• Muscogee County School District: Kimberly Wright, Director of Communications, 706-748-2232, wright.kimberly.a@muscogee.k12.ga.us