Teams from Grant and Saline counties dominated the 2026 Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas and Arkansas 4-H SeaPerch Challenge, placing first among 55 teams representing 12 counties at the annual competition held April 3 at the River Center.
A total of 191 students competed in the event, which centers on building and operating underwater remotely operated vehicles, known as SeaPerch robots.
Saline County claimed the junior stock division title with the Sea Squad team, made up of Nathaniel Schmid, Sy’Eir Cranford and Grayson Sadler. Grant County teams swept multiple divisions, including the intermediate stock division, where the HydroRappers team of Jackson Knight, Priyesh Laxmi and Abigail Martin finished first.
Grant County also captured the senior stock division with the Deep Water Vanguard team of Gracie McGinley and Gavin McGinley, while the Aquanauts team of Eli Watson, Garrett Key and Priyam Laxmi earned top honors in the open class division.
The competition challenges students to navigate their SeaPerch robots through obstacle courses and complete tasks such as retrieving and placing objects underwater. The program is designed to spark student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Full Results
Junior Stock Division
1st Place — Sea Squad, Saline County
2nd Place — Team Eels, Saline County
3rd Place — Blue Panthers, Saline County
Intermediate Stock Division
1st Place — HydroRappers, Grant County
2nd Place — Disco Dolphins, Grant County
3rd Place — Octonauts, Grant County
Senior Stock Division
1st Place — Deep Water Vanguard, Grant County
2nd Place — Three Dudes and a Robot, Grant County
3rd Place — The Riptide Runners, Saline County
Open Class Division
1st Place — Aquanauts, Grant County
2nd Place — Rolling Stokes, Madison County
3rd Place — Sea Urchins, Pike County
International Qualifiers
The following teams qualified for the International SeaPerch Challenge, scheduled for May 30-31 at the University of Maryland:
— HydroRappers, Grant County (Intermediate)
— Disco Dolphins, Grant County (Intermediate)
— Deep Water Vanguard, Grant County (Senior)
— Three Dudes and a Robot, Grant County (Senior)
— Aquanauts, Grant County (Open Class)
— Rolling Stokes, Madison County (Open Class)
SeaPerch robots are constructed from more than three dozen parts, including PVC pipe, pool noodles, motors and batteries, and are operated remotely by students during competition.
For more information on the Arkansas 4-H SeaPerch Challenge, visit 4h.uada.edu. Additional details about the SeaPerch program can be found at seaperch.org.
