Mead Elementary School hosted a VEX IQ Robotics Competition on Saturday, December 9, bringing together participants from several elementary schools across St. Vrain Valley Schools. VEX Robotics is an international robotics program that features a new challenge every year in the form of a game. Forty teams, including 10 from Mead, competed in a variety of challenges that put their engineering and programming skills to the test.
During the competition, students presented robots crafted with VEX IQ-sanctioned components. They programmed the robots to achieve the game’s objective: transporting blocks to a goal within a 60-second timeframe. Points are allocated depending on the number and type of blocks deposited in each goal. Additional points are granted if a portion or the entirety of their robot finishes the match within a designated area of the field. In the skills segment of the event, teams are afforded three opportunities to showcase their driving ability and three chances to demonstrate their autonomous skills.
As a result of their hard work and dedication, Mead Elementary teams won multiple awards at the competition. The “Robotics Bananas” team received the Sportsmanship Award, recognized through votes from other teams for their exemplary sportsmanship, helpfulness, respect, and positive demeanor both on and off the competition field. The “Air Knights III” earned the Energy Award for their outstanding enthusiasm and excitement displayed throughout the event. The “Robotic Cats” and “The Corgis” from Soaring Heights PK-8 won the Tournament Champions Award, which is presented to a two-team alliance for achieving the highest score in the final matches. This honor qualifies them for the Colorado State VEX IQ Championship, where they will compete against 32 other teams in March.
“We currently have 30 fourth and fifth graders in our competitive robotics program,” shared Kylea Winka, Assistant Principal at Mead. “Three times a year, we also offer Introduction to Robotics classes for students in third through fifth grade.” Fourth grader Bentley Valentine joined the competitive team because he was inspired by his brother’s involvement. “It is a lot of fun, and I really enjoy it. I want to do robotics again next year, and also in middle school.”
Throughout the school year, students on the team put in a lot of hours before and after school to prepare for competitions. “They plan, research, and design their robots based upon the specified requirements,” shared Casey Medlock, Fourth Grade Teacher and Robotics Sponsor. “Each season, VEX provides one build design that students may choose as their robot. Although many teams choose the provided design, several create their robot using aspects of previous years’ robot designs or ones they’ve researched.” In addition to programming them, students must follow step-by-step instructions to create, build, and test their robot iterations.
Observing the students’ dedication and enthusiasm for robotics, Winka remarked, “Every time I step into the STEAM lab during build practices, they eagerly showcase their robots and programming skills.”
In the STEAM lab, the students’ enthusiasm and commitment to robotics are evident. “Every time I step into the lab during build practices, they eagerly showcase their robots and programming skills,” shared Winka. The students invest a significant amount of time, energy, and effort in the planning, collaboration, and design of their robots. “Witnessing their growth from inception to completion is incredibly gratifying,” said Medlock. “The students consistently achieve remarkable milestones throughout the process, reinforcing the immense value of this program. It fills me with pride to know that we are providing students with the foundational skills to become leaders in the 21st century.”