Mount Pearl students swap prom for NASA experience

A group of Mount Pearl students who skipped their prom to compete in an international robotics competition didn't win any trophies, but one team member says the benefit still outweighs the sacrifice.

• Rival schools team up for international competition

"It's a once in a lifetime experience for sure. Even if we didn't win," saidSean Purchase,part of the Mount Pearl Senior High School team that competed at the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)challenge in Houston. He said he's not disappointed.

"Not particularly, honestly, because we got to represent Newfoundland and the City of Mount Pearl down here on the world stage. It was an incredible experience."

He said 69 teams from 19 countries took part the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) competition at the NASA Johnson Space Center's Neutral Buoyancy Lab.

Purchase said their first ROVmission was successful, but they had problems after that.

"Unfortunately the next day it didn't go as well and as planned. We had a few little things wrong with ROVthat hindered our performance."

Purchase said even though they missed their graduation ceremony, they still plan to celebrate by getting gussied up for their own version of prom pictures.

Memorial University's team, Eastern Edge Robotics, beat dozens of other international teams to take first place in its division.

Another team from Mount Pearl competed at the event, O'Donel High School won in the poster design category.