Students on North Junior High School‘s VEX robotics team are headed to the World Robotics Championship, a trip that has been three years in the making. The last two years, the team narrowly missed their opportunity to go due to robots breaking down at the last minute. Finally, they earned their seat at the international competition!
Noah Millerbernd, a seventh grader at North and robotics team lead, remembers how this dream began at Westwood Elementary School.
“During fourth grade,” he explains, “the fifth graders showed what robotics was all about at the end of the school year. And I really like building stuff. In fifth grade, I made it [on the team].”
Teammate and seventh grader Ezekiel Jennings wanted to be in robotics because his older brother began competing his first year at North. So, as soon as he was in sixth grade, he signed up. A third teammate and seventh grader, Hudson Braun, joined robotics at the urging of his friends Millerbernd and Jennings. This year was his first year.
Millerbernd remembers his team started out more basic than the other Westwood teams. His team didn’t have a “brain” (central processing unit) or batteries to use. It was more rudimentary.
“But we still made it further than all the other Westwood teams,” grins Millerbernd. “We almost made it to Worlds, but our robot broke down [at the State Tournament].”
Last year, Millerbernd and teammate Jennings experienced the same disappointment at the State Tournament.
“I was on the team with Noah and one other person,” says Jennings. “We made it to State, but in the final match where we would have made it to Worlds if we had won it, we lost by four points because our teammate’s robot broke.”
Millerbernd adds, “… then ours sort of broke down, too.”
This year was another story.
“I was partially expecting to get to State,” shares Braun. “When I got to State, I was happy. But then at the end of State, we got so far that we got a World invite. I thought, ‘This is my first year!'”
Millerbernd, Jennings and Braun are ecstatic to compete in Texas this year. One of the expectations of the group is to learn and get new ideas while they are there.
“[There will be] a lot of different cultures, a lot of different strategies and bots,” says Millerbernd.
VEX robotics competitions are set with the same course (obstacles and time limits) through the entire season. It allows the students to improve their skills, times and strategies each competition. During the season, rules and team alliances may change, but never the course. Once the VEX World Championship Competition is over, the new course is revealed for the entire next year.
North and Apollo High School VEX Robotics coach Sara Laudenbach is excited for the team to attend Worlds as well. She’s been to Worlds with previous teams, but those competitions have been virtual. This year, back in-person, will bring competing to a whole different level.
“This is my seventh year coaching,” says Laudenbach. “We’ve gone to State every year … [and] to Nationals twice and Worlds. Those students are now in tenth grade.”
One of her tenth grade VEX students will be assistant coaching the North team. He’s been to Worlds previously- only virtually though. At Worlds, the team will have a chance to see approximately 500 other robots and different ways to solve problems.
“I just want them to have fun,” says Laudenbach. “I think it’s a big honor just to go. There are only 13 teams from the state of Minnesota who get to go. To be one of those teams is extraordinary. This team didn’t struggle, but they missed awards by a point or were chosen over another team [all season long].”
At the end of the tournament, Laudenbach and the team will get to see the game reveal for next year. It’s one of the most exciting pieces of the tournament.
“They will spend the entire trip home [from Worlds] planning and designing the robot for the next season,” laughs Laudenbach. “It’s fun to take a group like this to an event.”
Like most high school sports, there isn’t an off-season in robotics. The teams plan and practice all year long. The VEX teams have secured space over the summer to set up the course according to the game reveal from Worlds. Their intent is to begin building their new designs and strategizing to shave time on skills.
“They are just a bunch of kids getting together doing what they love,” smiles Laudenbach. “This team, they are going to go far.”
District 742 is cheering on the team at Worlds in May. This is the year for the team to shine!
Note: Robotics teams for Tech High School and Westwood Elementary School will also attend the World Robotics Championship in May of 2022.
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