Meraux Foundation Donates $10K to Nunez Robotics

The kids learning coding, engineering, problem solving and teamwork on Nunez Community College’s three competitive robotics teams just got a big boost thanks to the Meraux Foundation.

Meraux Board Members Floyd Gue, Bill Haines and Chris Haines visited the Nunez campus July 15 to make good on the promise made by Meraux Foundation Board President Rita Gue during the Robotics Teams’ season completion party in April.

“The Meraux Foundation is proud to support Nunez Community College’s competitive robotics teams with this $10,000 donation. We are committed to fostering educational opportunities that inspire and prepare the next generation of innovators and leaders,” said Gue.

Gue’s announcement in April came on the heels Nunez’s high school team, Team 9456, competing in its very first competition at Bayou Regionals in Kenner, where it finished an impressive 32nd in a field of 51 experienced teams. Team 9456 didn’t stay idle for long, returning to competition for the Northshore Knockout July 20 at Mandeville High School.

While Team 9456 fabricated, assembled, wired and programmed their own large, rolling robot capable of shooting plastic hoops at a raised goal, Nunez’s younger teams are learning just as much working with versions of LEGO’s SPIKE Prime robots.

The donation from the Meraux Foundation will support and fund all three teams, creating opportunities for expansion and more participants.

“We are tremendously thankful for the generosity of the Meraux Foundation in supporting our program,” said Nunez STEAM Director Dr. Julie Rexford.

Parents interested in signing their children up for one of Nunez's robotics teams are welcome to email Dr. Rexford at jrexford@nunez.edu.