BEST ROBOTICS PROGRAM
CATAPULTS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO
PRESIDENTIAL SCIENCE FAIR
Three students who participated in the Auburn
University-sponsored BEST Robotics outreach
program were selected to travel to Washington
D.C. for the 2015 White House Presidential
Science Fair as honored guests.
Wetumpka High School BEST Robotics team
leaders, Zena Banker, Ernald Jules Aloria, and
Joshuah Noel, represented the team at the White
House and stood behind President Obama during
a broadcast address where he elaborated on the
importance of science education. The Wetumpka
High School students also interacted with the
Banker, who was also invited to participate in an
exclusive women’s roundtable discussion at the
White House, wrote an essay about her early
childhood spent in foster care due to biological
parents who were addicted to alcohol and drugs.
She described how her life changed for the better at
age 6 when she was adopted. Once a shy young lady
without strong friendships, her essay also detailed
how her blossoming interest in science has led to
both respect from her peers and new friendships.
“I wasn’t exactly the smartest kid when I was
in middle school, and other kids made fun of
me because of it,” said Banker. “In high school, I
caught up.”
Banker, who is a senior, currently has the highest
grade point average in her class and is the cocaptain of the BEST Robotics team.
“I realized I liked science when I was in eighth
grade, and I joined the robotics team when I was
a freshman. Joining the BEST Robotics team
opened my eyes to a whole new world of science,”
said Banker. “I now read scientific articles, have
president as well as peers from across the nation,
engineers, scientists like Bill Nye, high-level senior
government officials, private sector representatives,
and others.
Wetumpka High School is the only BEST
Robotics team in the nation to receive an
invitation to participate in the 2015 White House
Presidential Science Fair.
The Wetumpka High School students traveled to
Washington D.C. as representatives of Friends of
BEST in Alabama, a not-for-profit organization
formed in A X