Students designed, built and programmed robots to complete challenges at the high school VEX Robotics Competition state championship at Jenison Field House Sunday.
Each year, VEX releases new games with different challenges to earn points. This season’s game is called Turning Point. The object of the game is to toggle flags and caps to make the team's colors visible throughout different play modes.
The matches consist of an autonomous period and a driver-operated period.
Robotics competitions allow students to delve into the world of science, technology, engineering and math before college, said high school junior Lauren Winegarden of the Zipties team.
“It pushes students to look at a new field that wasn't previously something I would have looked at for myself and my future,” Winegarden said. “It forces them use their brains and look at this new competition style.”
The importance of teamwork is stressed in robotics, high school junior and CC Shambots team member Patrick Ryan said. Beyond teamwork, friendships are made through during the robotics seasons.
“We come from an all-boys school, so I guess there’s like a connection between just being boys and hanging out,” Ryan said.
High school sophomore Ruthie Digman’s team, Owosso Robotics, has students participate in both VEX Robotics and FIRST Robotics competitions to hone different skills.
“They’re so contrasting, because in FIRST we all work together to build one robot,” Digman said. “In VEX we get in different groups, it’s randomized, and we build smaller robots. It allows us to practice our team skills without knowing one another.”
Results from Sunday's events will be posted here.
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