History of DARC

Though new as a unified organization, the Decatur-Austin Robotics Coalition draws on a strong tradition of excellence from its constituent teams of Austin and Decatur high schools.

Decatur High established its robotics program in 2001, originally conceived by longtime DHS teacher Jeff Woods as a project for his A.P. Physics class. Decatur Robotics went on to participate in Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology (BEST) competitions every year until the 2008 merger with Austin.

Austin Robotics had its own start in 2002. Zach Lamb, an AHS student and early Head of Engineering (HOE), suggested a robotics program for Austin after participating in a robotics unit in Science Olympiad during middle school. Mrs. Susan Haddock, an AHS math teacher, agreed to sponsor the new organization. As luck would have it, Austin faculty had just received promotional materials about BEST robotics, and they went on to win first place at regional competitions at Calhoun Community College in its first year. In subsequent years Austin competed in BEST and won numerous awards for both robot design and marketing. They also obtained an $8,000 grant from NASA which enabled it to participate in the For Inspiration of Science and Technology (FIRST) competitions in 2003 and 2004.

The prospect of the two teams joining forces had been discussed as early as 2006, but the idea came to fruition only in 2008. The retirement of Mr. Woods left Decatur's team in need of sponsorship, and the union of Decatur City School's two robotics programs offered to pool the talent of both halves of the city while cutting costs.

Support from Assistant Superintendent Ed Nichols and Mayor Don Kyle was instrumental in accomplishing the merger and in acquiring DARC robotics' new operations facility at the Decatur Business Incubator, a local business space leased by the city of Decatur to promote entrepreneurship. Generously endowed with workspace and equipment, DARC now puts some of the best young minds in Decatur to work in engineering and marketing.