MORE Robotics Qualifies for VEX Robotics National Championship

On November 19, 2011, sixteen robotics teams from around the Midwest competed in the Geneseo VEX Gateway Classic in Geneseo, Illinois. They were challenged to design and build robots to play this year’s VEX Robotics Competition game “Round Up”. Played on a 12x12 foot foam tile field, the goal is to score plastic balls and barrels into goals made of PVC tubes. Each two-minute 20-second match starts with a twenty second autonomous period and finishes with a thirty second end game, in which special game pieces to either double or zero out points are introduced into play. On the field are “gates” to create different zones that are lifted during the match. Robots are controlled by student drivers, and alliances of two teams each play in every match. Since the game was released in late spring of 2011, teams have been working with their mentors and teachers to make competitive robots to bring to the tournament.

The VEX Robotics design system organizes competitions that inspire middle and high school students to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and math. There are over 3,500 teams from around the world in twenty different countries that participate in this competition. Students that are part of this program learn many skills that will not only teach them math and science, but also valuable life lessons, all while having fun.

Along with their alliance partner of team 3018, 1714B from MORE Robotics won first place, and qualified for the VEX Robotics National Championship in Omaha, Nebraska this March. The winners of that championship and other national championships around the world qualify for the World Championship held in Anaheim, California in April. Along with being tournament champions, 1714B also won the Judge’s Award and Driver Skills Award.

This competition was the second appearance for MORE Robotics this season. On November 5 2011, 1714A, 1714B, and 1714C competed in the Fall VEX Robotics High School Challenge in Waukesha, Wisconsin. 1714C was named tournament champions and also qualified for the VEX Robotics National Championship. 1714B won the Judge’s Award and Programming Skills Award at this event. They will be attending the National Championship this March.

MORE Robotics is a community robotics club that mentors elementary and high school students from the Milwaukee area. The team participates in several competitions including the FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, and promotes STEM education and the pursuit of careers in those fields.