A Kiwi driver from the victorious home school team (right) and a parent helper (left) in Dallas.
A team of home schooled New Zealand students - called Free Range Robotics – was awarded world champion status for programming skills as well as third place in robot skills at the Vex Robotics World Championships in Dallas, Texas.
The home school team was trained by Massey engineering students at the Albany campus. Westlake Girls, Avondale College and Onehunga High also competed and did their country proud. It was the first time New Zealand has entered the international leg of the competition. A team of Massey student engineers took the top title in the university category.
Major sponsors for the programme are Smales Farm, Fisher and Paykel, NZTE, Glidepath, Massey University and FEDEX.
The world championships hosted teams from thirteen countries including Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, for two days of non-stop pulse-pounding robotics challenges.
The competition drew 2000 students, teachers and coaches comprising 272 teams. An estimated 1300 teams competed in regional contests around the world in the months leading up to the finals.
The robotics competition sees secondary school student teams build a robot capable of competing in a game. The game changes each year. The competition promotes education and skills in technology, science, engineering and mathematics, as well as critical life skills such as teamwork, project management and problem solving.
According to a study conducted by America’s Brandeis University, participating in the competition doubles the likelihood of students choosing a science or technology related career.
