Denham Venom Robotics Team Triumphs at The Magnolia Regional, Eyes World Championship
Denham Venom Robotics Team Triumphs at The Magnolia Regional, Eyes World Championship
Laurel, Miss. – In an electrifying display of innovation and teamwork, the Denham Venom Robotics Team, hailing from the Denham Springs High School STEM and Robotics Center, clinched the Regional Winner title at the Magnolia Regional held March 15-16 in Laurel, Mississippi.
Demonstrating unmatched skill and strategic acumen, Denham Venom, alongside their alliance partners SS Prometheus from Mandeville and Team Combustion from Slidell soared through the competition to secure their spot at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston next month.
In addition to their victory, Denham Venom was honored with The Autonomous Award, celebrating their robot's exceptional ability to operate independently with high-performance, a testament to the team's advanced programming and engineering capabilities.
"I cannot be prouder of these students, many who have sacrificed hundreds of hours designing, machining, building, and programming our robot during build season and who then worked tirelessly to maintain that robot all through the competition," Coach Daniel Eiland said. "This success is a direct reflection on their grit and determination."
The team's achievements are also a credit to the dedication and guidance of Coach Danny Thomasson, along with the invaluable support and expertise provided by college and faculty mentors, Eiland added.
“Together, they have created an environment where innovation, perseverance, and teamwork flourish,” he said.
The Denham Venom Robotics Team, comprising 40 dedicated high school students, has rapidly ascended in the world of competitive robotics. Despite being a relatively young team, with only five years since its inception and three years of competition, Denham Venom’s journey to the top speaks volumes of the students’ passion, innovation, and teamwork.
Looking ahead, Denham Venom is gearing up for the Bayou Regional in New Orleans, where the students aim to further refine their designs and strategies.
"Our goal is to continue innovating our designs to improve our scoring ability," Eiland shared, underscoring the team's commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.
Eiland noted that the team’s goal is to attend the World Championship. To do that, the students must raise $20,000 to cover travel expenses, including charter bus rental, hotel accommodations, and other associated costs. He said the students will be seeking assistance from the community and potential sponsors to support their journey and help them represent Denham Springs on the world stage.
The team’s current sponsors include NASA, Dow, Weyerhaeuser, West Coast Products, DoD STEM, and Fabworks.
“Their commitment has fueled our competitive successes and enriched our educational experiences. We are also immensely grateful to our additional sponsors, whose support is crucial to our team's development and achievements,” said Eiland, who added that those interested in helping the team can contact him at
[email protected].
Pictured from left to right are Awards Team Members Callie Sproles, Avery Gann, and Christopher Carpenter moments before they go before judges to present on the team's involvement in STEM activism across our community.
Pictured from left to right are Drive Team Members Nathan Duke, Joseph Thompson with Drive Coach Rohit Gondi who maneuvered the robot across the field during a match in Magnolia Regional competition in Laurel, Miss.
Pictured from left to right are Drive Team Member Joseph Thompson and Team Captain Callie Sproles showing off the winning trophy from the Magnolia Regional.
Pictured from left to right are Denham Venom Team Members Ethan Nardo, Landon Kerry, and Sebastian Cupit who worked in the Pit to maintain the Robot, Amadeus, for competition in Laurel, Miss.
About Denham Venom Robotics Team
Founded in 2019, the Denham Venom Robotics Team is a group of passionate high school students from Denham Springs, Louisiana, dedicated to the field of robotics. Operating out of the Denham Springs High School STEM and Robotics Center, and under the guidance of Coach Daniel Eiland and Coach Danny Thomasson, the team competes in FIRST Robotics competitions, emphasizing STEM education, teamwork, and innovation. For more information, visit
https://www.firstinspires.org.