hese Gwinnett Tech students will be armed with not only academic and technical skills but also social graces when they enter the business world. Debra Lassiter, a business etiquette trainer with Perfectly Polished Inc., recently conducted a day-long seminar at the college called “Outclass the Competition: Present Yourself with Confidence and Authority.” Lassiter addressed such topics as handshaking and interview attire, and shared business dining tips with the 130 attendees at a four-course meal prepared by Gwinnett Tech culinary arts students.

group of 11 Brentwood High School students in Sandersville recently built a robot and advanced from regional to national competition in Houston. The competition — called FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — aims to inspire interest in engineering, science and technology. Sandersville Technical College, NASA and local donors funded the project.

After game rules were announced in January, teams had six weeks to build, program and ship a robot. The Sandersville team, working in space provided by Thiele Kaolin Co., constructed an aluminum robot that weighs 128 pounds, measures 30x36 inches and stands 48 inches high.

The high-tech, spectator sport competition featured an event called “Stack Attack.” This game required robots to collect and stack plastic storage containers on their side of the playing field.

More than 20,000 students on some 800 teams participated in the competition. The Brentwood team didn’t win at the national level this year, but plans are already under way to enter again next year.

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