On March 31, the Westchester Hebrew High School (WHHS) Robotics Team secured back-to-back Championships in the CIJE VEX Robotics Competition. The Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) was founded in 2001 to enhance and enrich the quality of Jewish education throughout the United States. CIJE brings hands-on STEAM learning to more than 200 Jewish day schools and yeshivot across 18 states, impacting thousands of students annually.

CIJE believes that Jewish day school graduates should be prepared to succeed in an ever-changing global society and to reach their potential in their future careers and life. The organization seeks to upgrade the technology and programs available to Jewish day schools and yeshivot so that the education these schools provide is world-class. CIJE believes in a “hands-on” approach, providing extensive teacher training and support.

CIJE noted: “This pioneering initiative was launched to address the challenge of Shabbat observance conflicting with conventional tournament schedules, offering a league that respects values and unites Jewish schools. The CIJE Robotics League challenges elementary (4th-5th grades), middle (6th-8th grades) and high school students to work together to build a robot that will compete in a challenge. Schools participate either by running a robotics class or forming an extracurricular Robotics Club. Students learn advanced programming, mechanical building, teamwork and problem-solving.”

The Robotics Team at WHHS is under the guidance of coach David Merel. This year’s challenge, titled “High Stakes,” tested students’ engineering prowess, strategic thinking and collaborative skills. The 2024-2025 “High Stakes” game tasked students with designing robots that could score rings on stakes, navigate mobile goals and climb a central structure, emphasizing both autonomous programming and live driver-controlled execution.

Merel emphasizes the team’s philosophy: “Our success isn’t just about building a robot; it’s about fostering a culture of unity and collaboration. Each student understands the importance of working together, not just within their own team but across all our teams. This collective mindset is what truly sets us apart.”

One of the defining features of the CIJE competition is its alliance format, where each match consists of four teams, two per alliance and often from different schools. “WHHS might partner with Leffell to face off against Frisch and SAR, making real-time communication and teamwork with unfamiliar partners essential,” explained Merel.

“Working with other schools was eye-opening,” said freshman Osher Sakas. “Even if their robot was totally different or less advanced, we still had to collaborate and figure out how to win together, and sometimes, we did. That kind of teamwork is what made us stand out. I was surprised by how much teamwork helps. I’d have one idea, a teammate would have another, and combining them made everything better. That’s one of the reasons we came out on top.”

Merel added: “This kind of inter-school collaboration mirrors what students will face in the workforce. Being able to work with others, even those you might compete with in other contexts, is a key skill in any career. It also builds mutual respect, communication, and a sense of shared purpose within the community. Merel noted that within the WHHS team, collaboration is equally essential. Students regularly exchange ideas, test each other’s concepts, and contribute to every element of design and strategy.

“Being on the robotics team changed how I think about problems,” said junior Shir Yarmovski. “Now I break things down into steps: do the research, do the math, make a plan, and come prepared. If you come in unprepared, it’s just failure from there.”

Team members included senior Saadia Price, juniors Shir Yarmovski and Ephram Piafsky, with sophomores Reese Cohen, Abigail Milchman, Brielle Milchman, Chloe Milchman, and freshmen Daniel Foks, Osher Sakas and Emily Strobel.

Merel concluded: “Watching our students grow, adapt, and thrive as both engineers and teammates has been incredibly rewarding. Their resilience, creativity and commitment have not only led to consecutive championships but have also prepared them to lead in the world beyond high school, in college, careers, and community.”

Student Shir Yarmovski added: “STEM is the future. You see new developments every day, new investments, new tech. Everyone will encounter it in their lives, so it’s important to learn about it now and be prepared. I’ve always liked video games and computers, but robotics showed me I can use those skills in real life. Now I’m definitely looking into computer science and computer engineering for college.”

As for freshman Osher Sakas, “After this win, I’m definitely staying in robotics. I want to become an engineer and maybe go into computer science or coding.”