In first year, DFMS Robotics Team makes it to world competition
IRMO, SC (WIS) - It didn't take long for the Dutch Fork Middle School Robotics Team to earn a spot in the robot-building world.
In its first year of competition, the team earned a spot at the 2015 Vex World Robotics Championship in Louisville, KY. They competed against 150 other teams from around the world.
To get to Louisville, the team had to qualify at the state level in the VEX Robotics Championship.
"They were just very, very, very dedicated," said team advisor Lola Whitworth.
The kids stayed late some nights, sometimes until 11 or 12 p.m., to get the work done.
The team learned more than how to design, build and program a robot. At the world competition, they learned about diplomacy.
"One of the big deals is making partnerships with other teams," said 7th grader Sofia Guerrero. "You don't have to be the best team there. You have to be the friendliest team there."
That's because the top eight teams select another team to help. That's no easy task when students are divided by a language barrier. But somehow, they managed to communicate.
"It's just a very big deal of being social, talking to other people, relating with other teams and trying to just interact with other teams," Guerrero said, who's already looking forward to next year.
Eighth-grade student Isaac Bryson will move up to the high school competition next year.
"We already know there's going to be some tough competition next year," he said.
"I can even see a growth in the maturity of the students after getting back from the world competition," Whitworth said.
Members of the DFMS VEX Robotics Team include:
- Isaac Bryson - 8th Grade
- Charles Davis - 8th Grade
- Joe Turner - 8th Grade
- Sofia Guerrero - 7th grade
- Bryson Turner - 7th Grade
- Guytanno Mancine - 7th Grade
The awards and titles the team won this season include the Lowcountry Qualifier, Tournament Champions, Middle School Excellence Award, Skills Award, Palmetto State VEX Robotics Championship and Middle School Excellence Award.
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