Umatilla robotics looking for more success with updated competition hall
By Griffin Beach on Thursday, May 14th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA – Following a trip to the FIRST Robotics World Championships, Umatilla High School students are returning to a newly revamped STEM lab featuring an upgraded competition hall and CAD computer lab.
The renovations include new computer equipment, 3D printers, and a dedicated robotics field room designed for students to design, build, and test projects in-house.
The upgrades were funded by Amazon as part of the company’s commitment to STEM education. Amazon officials said the space will serve approximately 415 middle and high school students within the district.
“These updated spaces give students the tools and hands-on experiences they need to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and math — and we’re excited to see what they build next,” said Benjamin Harvey, a community engagement manager at Amazon.
Originally launched in 2023, the “Think Big Space” was designed to expand STEM access and open up new opportunities for Umatilla students.
“We are just very grateful for Amazon and their partnership and we appreciate the career pathways support they are helping to provide,” said Umatilla Superintendent Heidi Sipe.
The school’s robotics team looks to use the new tools to build on an elite performance at this year’s world championship, where they finished 56th out of 600 teams from around the globe.
Photo of students in the upgraded robotics competition hall courtesy of Amazon
