IN
Freshmen Luke
Kastner and
Owen Anderson
to compete in
state robotics
program as
members of the
Mars Robotics
Association.
Luke Kastner and Owen Anderson
with the team’s robot.
BY NICOLE TAFE
P
ine-Richland’s Luke Kastner
and Owen Anderson will
be competing in the FIRST
Tech Challenge (FTC)
State Championships in
February. Both young men participate in
a community-based FTC team called Mars
Robotics Association.
The team—which strives to develop
STEM skills in students—has participated
in two Pennsylvania qualifiers since
December. At both competitions, the team
was nominated for multiple awards, earned
the Think Award and won the overall
first-place Inspire Award, securing their
advancement to the state championship.
The group raises funds and designs,
markets and completes outreach projects,
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Luke, Owen and teammate Lindsey on
the competition field driving the Mars:
Curiosity? robot at the West Central PA
Qualifier in December.
❘
in addition to designing, creating and
operating robots for competitions.
Luke Kastner, 14, is a freshman at
Pine-Richland High School, and the
son of Dan and Rita Kastner. In school,
he’s involved in many clubs, including
programming club and math club. Luke
enjoys academic competitions and has
participated in CalcuSolve, National
Academic League and Battle of the Books.
He’s also part of the school’s Ultimate
Frisbee team. Aside from participating
with Mars Robotics Association, he
enjoys water skiing and snow skiing and
is a member of his church’s youth group.
Owen Anderson, 15, is a homeschooled
freshman and the son of Erik and Kiera
Anderson. Like his teammate, Owen has
icmags.com
a wide range of interests. In addition to
being a member of the Mars Robotics
Association, he’s involved with Boy Scout
Troop 344 in Wexford, and attends Zang
Taekwon-Do. Owen also loves camping
and backpacking and was able to go to
Philmont, New Mexico, on a 10-day
backpacking trip last summer. “I have a
passion for aquaponics and am working on
building a 200-gallon automated system
in our garage,” he says. “I also volunteer at
my church every Sunday, helping with the
sound and slides.”
Their MRA robotics team is called
MARS: Curiosity? and includes 11
members from nine different school
districts. Luke and Owen both joined the
team in the spring of 2019. Prior to that,