Eight years in the making, the Sparrowbots have made it to worlds.

Led by an exhaustive research project about the pygmy three-toed sloth, and how there are just 75 left in the world, the robotics team from Puckett’s Mill Elementary won the state competition in February, and was highlighted during a pep rally at the school on Friday afternoon.

“I woke up one morning and I said, ‘We must celebrate this team,’” Puckett’s Mill Principal Ruth Westbrooks said. “With this pep rally, we are encouraging this team and congratulating them.”

The nine members of the team, who are in fourth and fifth grade, gave a presentation during the assembly about their core values and how they work as a team.

On Wednesday, they will leave for Houston and the international competition of the First Lego League. They will be part of a group of about 30 people from Puckett’s Mill, including teachers, parents and spouses. When they arrive, they will setup an exhibit that encompasses their state, country and project, and join eight other international teams.