Middle School Robotics Team Takes on VEX Robotics World Championships After Over a Decade Away: Lessons Learned and the Importance of Failing Forward

A new era of robotics competition has arrived at Bluestem Middle School in Omaha Public Schools, as the school’s team is set to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championships for the first time in over a decade. With six dedicated students representing them, the team consists of 6th and 7th graders who have been working tirelessly to build and program their robot using nuts, bolts, and metal.

The VEX challenge this year involves creating a robot that can score points by getting “tri-balls” into the opposite goal. The students must navigate through various obstacles and work together as a team to achieve success. Robotics coach Sheri Cohen Vollmer is there to guide the students through the process and ensure that they are learning valuable technical skills along with important life skills.

One of the team members, 6th grader Dylan Serrano Acosta, expressed his initial excitement for joining the robotics team but was disappointed when their first robot did not meet size specifications and had to be disassembled. Despite this setback, the team persevered and learned from their mistakes, eventually finding success in the competition.

Cohen Vollmer emphasizes that failure is an essential part of learning and encourages her students to focus on having fun while learning from each match. She describes robotics as a “sport of failing forward,” highlighting how important it is to learn from failures and move forward with new knowledge and skills. By participating in robotics, these students are not only developing technical skills but also gaining valuable life lessons that will serve them well in their future endeavors.

Overall, Bluestem Middle School’s robotics team is making history by competing in the VEX Robotics World Championships for the first time in years. Their dedication and hard work have paid off as they continue to push boundaries and innovate within this exciting field of science technology engineering art design (STEM).