Kromrey Middle School’s Robotics Club has a team advancing to the VEX Robotics World Championship after a big win at the Wisconsin State Championship – thanks in part to the team’s robot, Gordon Ramsay 2.0.
Five teams within the KMS Robotics Club took part in competitions this year, and two qualified for State. The winning team, The VEX Chefs, includes eighth graders Julia Do, Thea Langlois and Christin Yu; seventh graders Barrett McGee and Linson Chen; and fifth grader David Speh. They took the top prize at State on March 16 after winning local tournaments in Deforest, Kenosha and Appleton.
“They are all very motivated, committed, and work very well together,” Coach Thanh Do said. “Robotics is great for teamwork, STEM learning, and a lot of fun, but always very demanding in terms of commitment for any team wishing to compete in State and beyond.”
Students in the KMS Robotics Club develop skills like coding and teamwork while designing, building, testing and programming a robot according to the VEX IQ competition guidelines. The competition itself features a game called Rapid Relay, where two robots collaborate in 60-second teamwork challenge matches to pass nylon balls, score them through designated targets, and clear switches. Teams also have to pass an inspection, prepare their robots for other skills challenges, and explain their engineering process during interviews with judges.
“The competition experience not only challenges students to think critically and adapt quickly, but also fosters collaboration and creativity, helping them build skills that extend beyond robotics,” said Brad Chandler, Parent’s Council Member for the KMS Robotics Club.
Congratulations to The VEX Chefs on their amazing achievement! They will now spend at least four hours per week improving the design of their robot, named after celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, before the World Championship in Dallas, Texas, from May 12-14. Students who want to join the KMS Robotics Club can apply at the start of each school year.
