WATCH: The Pink Team Youth Robotics Team Making a Difference on the Space Coast
By Steve Wilson // October 12, 2026
High School Robotics Team consists of students from Cocoa Beach, Rockledge and Space Coast
The Pink Team is shown at a recent robotics competition. The Pink Team is made up of students from Cocoa Beach Jr/Sr High School, Rockledge High School, and Space Coast Jr/Sr High School. If you would like to contribute to the purchase of supplies for the Pink Team, CLICK HERE or email the booster club at – thepinkalliance233@gmail.com.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Who and what is a Pink Team?
I thought I had a pretty good idea before my broadcasting partner, Orville Susong, and I visited with them a few days ago. But I was wrong. They are much more than I thought.
The Pink Team is a youth robotics team consisting of students from Cocoa Beach Jr/Sr High School, Rockledge High School, and Space Coast Jr/Sr High School.
The night we visited, four team members, Madi Intemann, Kaitlyn Pharris, Sasha Samoylenko, and Nathan Weisel, assembled a 3D-printed wheelchair for a young person on the Space Coast.
I knew they built robots but had no idea they were building wheelchairs! They have also built quite a few prosthetic limbs. Last year, they shipped some of the limbs overseas to people in need.
WATCH: Members of the Pink Team assemble a 3D-printed Wheelchair. The Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong and Steve Wilson cover the story.
The Pink Team is more than just a school club. They spend hundreds of hours supporting the community. In just the last three years, they have participated in over 100 outreach events, totaling more than 4,100 outreach hours!
I always thought the name Pink Team was interesting. I asked the media specialist at Rockledge High School, Leslie Shinault, who also serves as the Pink Team’s faculty mentor, how they chose the name.
Shinault, who has been working with the Pink Team since 2014, told me, “When the team was first deciding on its name, colors, and mascot, all of the boys skipped the meeting to go surfing.
“The girls who stayed behind decided to get back at them by naming it “The Pink Team.” The name stuck, and more than 25 years later, pink has become one of the most recognizable parts of our team identity.
The next official Competition will be held on January 9, 2027.
Shinault told me, “From January to March, the students will prototype, design, fabricate, wire, and program a robot to play in the game. We are currently signed up to compete at the Orlando Regional at UCF from March 18th-20th, 2027.”
Current team members printing parts include Leads Sasha Samoylenko and Nathan Weisel, and students Ethan Spurk, Lucas Lawandales, Finn Murnaghan, Joseph Leslie, Joseph Bierman, Kyle Sampson, Hasini Setty, Remy Key, Maxim Kobzarenko, Kaitlyn Pharris, Madi Intemann, and Chloe Wallace.
Mentors for the above students include Bethany Petri, Eitan Kahn, Matt Spurk, Sara Spurk, Katie Mortensen, Chet Nielsen, Gabby Fuste, and Sophia Shami.
Orville and I were both blown away by what we witnessed during our visit with the Pink Team. Watching these young people work together as a team to assemble a 3D-printed wheelchair was amazing. Knowing this chair will go to a young person in need is beyond special.
The Pink Team would like to continue building wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs, but supplies cost money. It costs approximately $200 to make a wheelchair and $100 to make a prosthetic limb.
If you would like to help purchase supplies, CLICK HERE or contact the booster club at thepinkalliance233@gmail.com.
Erdman Automotive and Craig Technologies sponsor this article.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana, and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia. He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government in 2018 as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge.
Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey, Florida House District 32 Constituent of the Week 4/20/25.
Wilson is especially proud of chairing two fundraisers for pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, honoring Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock, that raised over $25,000.00.
He has partnered with Orville Susong for the past 27 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events significant to residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.
The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.
