FAIRVIEW, Ala. – Fairview High School Robotics competed for the second consecutive year in the Northern Gulf Coast Regional MATE ROV Competition. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Discovery Hall Programs hosted the 13th annual Northern Gulf Coast Regional MATE ROV Competition April 24-26. All three teams from Fairview placed in the competition.
Eighteen teams from four states competed with their custom-built remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The competition is part of the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) network, which includes 40 regional competitions held across the U.S. and worldwide.
Each year, MATE creates a scenario to inspire and challenge the students to apply science, technology, engineering and math to solve real-world problems. Focusing on education, the competition emphasizes strengthening students’ critical thinking, teamwork, entrepreneurship and innovation skills.
For the 2026 competition, teams competed in mission tasks focusing on the ability of wind turbines to power offshore oil rigs, mapping the seabed and documenting discoveries, deploying instrumentation and monitoring the health of cold-water habitats and operating equipment under the ice.
“It’s impressive each year to see how these teams develop their robots with the missions created by MATE for the competition,” DISL ROV Competition Coordinator Rachel McDonald said. “This includes using materials that are safe for the environment.”
There are three class levels – Scout, Navigator and Ranger – within the MATE competition framework for elementary, middle and high school students. In each class, the missions and ROVs become more complex. The teams’ engineering presentations address the design of their robot, the challenges they faced and the lessons learned.
Fairview High School Robotics Coach Beth Lockhart said Fairview remains the only school from Cullman County represented at the event, competing alongside teams from Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida.
“This year, the team advanced to a more challenging and competitive division, achieving outstanding results, earning both second- and third-place honors in the Navigator Class,” Lockhart said. “They also placed second in the Scout Class. All three teams placed in their respective classes. Looking ahead, the team is setting its sights on advancing to the highest level of competition, the Ranger Class, in the coming year.”
Lockhart said to support this goal, the program is seeking corporate sponsors — not only for financial assistance, but also for mentorship opportunities.
“Professionals with experience in engineering and robotics are especially encouraged to partner with and guide these students as they continue to develop their skills,” Lockhart said. “The Fairview Robotics program emphasizes more than competition. The technical knowledge and employability skills students gain through hands-on STEM experiences prepare them for success well beyond high school, equipping them to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven workforce.”
The mentors for the team are Elizabeth Lockhart, Ramona Calhoun, Jonathon Steadman and Suzanne Shell.
This year’s winners
Scout Challenge Class
- 3rd Place: Seagulls, Bayshore Christian (Daphne, AL)
- 2nd Place: CRYO Tech, Fairview High School (Cullman, AL)
- 1st Place: A2O Atlantis Scout, Acorns 2 Oaks (Slidell, LA)
Navigator Challenge Class
- 3rd Place: Glacier Titans, Fairview High School (Cullman, AL)
- 2nd Place: Maelstroms, Fairview High School (Cullman, AL)
- 1st Place: A2O Atlantis Navigator, Acorns 2 Oaks (Slidell, LA)
Ranger Challenge Class
- 3rd Place: Trojan Triremes, Carrollton High School (Carrollton, GA)
- 2nd Place: Crubotics, Pensacola Catholic High School, (Pensacola, FL)
- 1st Place: GEARS, Eastwood Presbyterian Church School (Montgomery, AL)
More information on the competition can be found at www.materovcompetition.org.
