Jenison, Michigan – The VEX Robotics World Championship is fast approaching and two teams from Jenison are ready to compete on an international stage.
The teams, consisting of seventh graders and high school students, have spent countless hours designing and programming their robots to compete.
The team of seventh graders, known as the “Flying Pancakes,” along with a high school team, have both qualified for the championship which will take place in Dallas, Texas.
The teams are excited about the opportunity to compete and meet other students from around the world.
Gabriel Leisure, Joshua Donovan, Jonah Hernandez, and Nate Waring from the Flying Pancakes team are proud of their hard work and are eager to show off their robot.
Joshua, the team’s driver, has been practicing with his robot and is ready to take on the competition.
The VEX Robotics World Championship will bring together over 1200 Junior High and High School teams to compete in a game called “Spin Up.” The goal is to launch discs using the robots.
While the opportunity is exciting, it does come at a cost.
The teams are looking to raise over $20,000 to cover their travel expenses.
Nate Waring’s dad, Casey, who is also an assistant coach, says that this has been an incredible opportunity for his son and the rest of the team.
He notes that the teams are not only competing, but they are also learning important skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The community is being asked to support the teams by donating to their GoFundMe page.
The teams hope to do well at the competition, but their main goal is to have fun and meet other students who share their passion for robotics.
