Kalama Intermediate Robotics team qualifies for world event

Kalama Robotics Team 43110A is among 18 out of 67 Hawaiʻi VEX IQ robotics teams to advance to the 2023 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas. The world event will run from April 25-May 4, 2023.

“The team did great all season which culminated with a thrilling ending that saw us win 3 of the 6 awards that are used to determine qualifications for the Vex IQ World Competition,” said Kalama Intermediate School vice principal Karen Wright.

Students between the ages of 8 and 14 competed using robots that they designed, built, and programmed. Since August, intermediate and elementary school teams competed in qualification matches. Team 43110A from Kalama Intermediate and 10698D from Maui Waena Intermediate competed in the state event after securing spots in the VEX IQ Maui Tournament held earlier this month.

Advancing from Oʻahu are Hāleʻiwa Elementary School (1 team), Hawaiʻi Girl Power (1 team), Mānoa Elementary School (3 teams), ʻEwa Makai Middle School (1 team), and Silver Tigers (1 team).

A team from Kalama Intermediate School in Makawao, Maui; Kaunakakai Elementary School on Molokaʻi; and a team from Waiakea Intermediate School, Hilo Intermediate School, and Haili Christian School in Hilo also qualified to participate in the VEX Worlds.

At the elementary school competition, Kaunakakai Elementary’s Molokai All-Stars team earned the VEX IQ Excellence Award, while Hāleʻiwa Elementary captured the Teamwork Champion, Robot Skills Champion and Amaze awards. Manoa Elementary won the Teamwork 2nd Place, Design, Innovate and Think awards.

At the middle school competition, Kalama Intermediate earned the VEX IQ Excellence and Robot Skills Champion awards and shared the Teamwork Champion with Ewa Makai Middle School, which also won the Innovate Award.

The double and triple qualifications by these teams will allow six other Hawaiʻi teams – to be determined by the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation – to advance to the VEX Worlds.

“I’m thinking of pursuing both computer science and electrical engineering from all of the things so far that I’ve experienced in robotics,” said Kalama Intermediate School 8th grader, Jeffrey Ho in an earlier press release. “Robotics will not only give me such essential life skills and a great head start in life but it will also build my friendships and networks with so many other people.”

Across the globe, there are about 20,000 VEX Robotics teams in 45 countries participating in VEX tournaments, and Hawaiʻi teams will have an opportunity to compete at the highest level in the world-class event.

VEX Robotics is an educational robotics program that inspires students to excel in STEM principles while encouraging creativity, teamwork, leadership and problem solving among groups. This season there were 250 registered teams from Hawaiʻi and over 900 students.

Robotics competitions foster these skills and prepare students to become future innovators as well as increase their interest in pursuing STEM careers. Tournaments are held year-round at the regional, state and national levels, and culminate in the VEX Robotics World Championship. There are approximately 20,000 teams from 45 countries participating in VEX tournaments.