Local robotics teams keep piling on the accolades, and next week, the Corvallis High School FIRST Robotics Team 997 is headed to Atlanta to compete for the national championship.

Earlier this spring, the Spartans won their first Pacific Northwest Regional Championship. The win propelled them into a spot at nationals, and through the generosity of individuals and businesses in Benton County, the team raised most of the $20,000 it needed to travel to the Georgia Dome, site of the nationals.

Last week, it competed in another regional event, this time at the FIRST Davis/Sacramento Regional at University of California, Davis, and again won first place. According to the team's lead mentor, Al Baily, of the 1,300 teams that have been competing nationally this year, only six other teams have won two regionals.

At the same event, Lebanon team 1359, known as The Scallywags, won the Chairman's Award, one of the biggest awards offered at a regional competition.

"I find it interesting that Linn and Benton counties have about 5 percent of Oregon's population but 50 percent of the FIRST teams," Baily said. "This area is leading the way for high-tech education in our high schools. It really does bode well for our communities' future."

The CHS team's robot, "Spartacus," was designed to compete in a FIRST challenge called "Rock 'N Roll," and its success was due in part to the team's emphasis on defense.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a nonprofit organization that was created to build excitement and interest around science and technology for young students. Part of the organization's emphasis is attracting young women to participate in science and technology and perhaps consider a career in the fields.

The championship will be a big challenge for all the teams involved, but the Corvallis team is hopeful of its chances.

"It will take a lot of luck," Baily said, "but so far our luck has been very good."

The competition, which takes place April 12-14, will be Webcast by NASA. For a link to the Webcast, go to www.usfirst.org