UCC robotics shines on the world stage
Eight Year 9 students from the robotics club recently travelled to St. Louis, Missouri, to compete against more than 460 other schools in the VEX Robotics World Championship.
UCC has two VEX teams that are wholly student-run. The process of creating and building their robot follows the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) design cycle, where students investigate, plan, create, evaluate, and iterate — and apply this model within high-stakes competition.
As one part of the broader robotics community at the College, VEX has quickly become the most visible. “The opening of the Atkins Family Design Lab in the Upper School gave the program a proper home,” says Paul Miskew, chair of the design department. “It allowed the robotics community to grow rapidly in both scale and ambition.”
Now the VEX teams consistently make it to the provincial level of competition, with Ontario being one of the more competitive regions. The goal of the robotics program from the beginning was community. "It's about the skills kids learn that they can't learn in a classroom," says Miskew. "Competition is the by-product. We compete on the strength of the community we've built."
Under VEX competition rules, coaches cannot advise during events: students build, strategize, and troubleshoot without adult intervention, or else lose points. This style of competition engages students in developing important soft skills like negotiation, strategy and teamwork.
Along with the main competition, students are also judged on their booth displays and interviews, and awards are given out for everything from innovation and excellence to design.
In their division of 86 teams, the UCC students finished 15th overall in the qualifiers, advancing them to the elimination round. They were then bested by the team that went on to win the entire tournament.
Although they didn’t get the top prize, they came away ranked first in competitiveness and were in the top 20 in the individual skills event. Reflecting on the competition, Kevin from the Class of 2028 remarks, “This whole experience has been surreal and we’ve exceeded our own expectations. We can’t wait to come back next year.”
Adds Miskew, “The growth the team has shown this season — both in their performance and as members of our community — has been incredible. They are well-prepared for a competitive next season and ready to help welcome and guide new members of our robotics community.”
As one part of the broader robotics community at the College, VEX has quickly become the most visible. “The opening of the Atkins Family Design Lab in the Upper School gave the program a proper home,” says Paul Miskew, chair of the design department. “It allowed the robotics community to grow rapidly in both scale and ambition.”
Now the VEX teams consistently make it to the provincial level of competition, with Ontario being one of the more competitive regions. The goal of the robotics program from the beginning was community. "It's about the skills kids learn that they can't learn in a classroom," says Miskew. "Competition is the by-product. We compete on the strength of the community we've built."
Under VEX competition rules, coaches cannot advise during events: students build, strategize, and troubleshoot without adult intervention, or else lose points. This style of competition engages students in developing important soft skills like negotiation, strategy and teamwork.
Along with the main competition, students are also judged on their booth displays and interviews, and awards are given out for everything from innovation and excellence to design.
In their division of 86 teams, the UCC students finished 15th overall in the qualifiers, advancing them to the elimination round. They were then bested by the team that went on to win the entire tournament.
Although they didn’t get the top prize, they came away ranked first in competitiveness and were in the top 20 in the individual skills event. Reflecting on the competition, Kevin from the Class of 2028 remarks, “This whole experience has been surreal and we’ve exceeded our own expectations. We can’t wait to come back next year.”
Adds Miskew, “The growth the team has shown this season — both in their performance and as members of our community — has been incredible. They are well-prepared for a competitive next season and ready to help welcome and guide new members of our robotics community.”
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