WDS seventh graders attended a CIJE sponsored robotics competition at Fort Washington Armory on Tuesday, April 5. This event was for students from grades six-12, divided into middle and high school divisions. The students have been working hard over the last few weeks in their seventh grade robotics elective course to learn about the evolution of robotics and the impact that robots have on their daily lives. They then had the opportunity to build, design and program their own VEX Robot in class for their competition.

This competition featured over 100 robots from 26 different schools. Each school’s robot was paired together as a team to compile points through different obstacles and challenges in 90 seconds matches. This allowed for students to help understand the importance of teamwork not only within their own team but working with different groups of students robots that might have been designed differently in shape and size in order to achieve the same goals within the competition.

The students persevered through successes and challenges throughout the day with their robot. They had a positive experience of feeling the excitement and energy throughout the day that was built up by CIJE within the event.

The students still have a few more weeks left in this elective course in which they can reflect back on their journey and to collaborate as a team for future competitions in eighth grade, high school and beyond.