Offered a platform on national radio, robotics whizz kid Harrison McKee did not miss an opportunity to praise his “awesome teachers” at Narooma High School.

After taking on the world in Texas, the Year 12 student and his fellow RoboRebels Kye Potter, Matthew Brooks, Linc McLeod-Scott and Harmony Cannon were in Sydney at the invitation of NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar.

Impressed with the Far South Coast team’s showing against 600 other schools in Houston, Mr Dizdar invited them to tour a robotics lab and meet Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car.

“I hope this experience for our outstanding Narooma High School students will ignite their imaginations to chase their dream career, whether that’s in robotics, coding or another field,” Mr Dizdar said.

The students also had the chance to visit the ABC’s Ultimo studio, where Radio National Drive presenter Andy Park was keen to hear how a rural school had taken on the best in the world.

Harrison, 17, was quick to acknowledge the efforts of teachers Gayle Allison and Christina Potts.

“We have awesome teachers,” Harrison said.

“Ms Allison and Ms Potts run the program in their own time, of their own will. They have been doing it for eight years. They have put thousands of hours into us. Without them, it would not be a team.”

• Listen to the full ABC interview here.
  

Possibilities beyond school

As part of the trip to Sydney, the team visited the University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Field Robotics where Mechatronics Stream Director, Dr Mitch Bryson, introduced them to SIRIUS and the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for marine seafloor surveying.

They also visited the Powerhouse Museum and the Department’s Information Technology Directorate, where they produced a magazine and recorded a podcast about their adventures in robotics.

“I appreciate the time Dr Mitch Bryson, Mechatronics Stream Director at the University of Sydney, invested in our students by showing them the possibilities beyond school that his research students have produced in the lab,” Mr Dizdar said.

“As educators, we have an important role in identifying the potential of our students and nurturing their talent so they may go on to a career they enjoy.

“I owe a lot to my teachers for seeing the possibilities for me and guiding me towards a future that I didn't think was possible. I hope this excursion to Sydney inspires these students to dream big!”

The RoboRebels made the world championship in Houston after progressing through the qualifying rounds against teams from Australia, Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore.

The Narooma community pitched in to help fly them to the US for the finals.

The Connected Communities’ school team competed against rivals with twice as many players, significantly more resources and, for those teams from the US, the advantage of being on home soil.