Are you ready to dive into a world where imagination meets innovation, and teamwork makes the dream work? Well, that’s what Vex Robotics is all about, where students design, build, and compete with their own robots in seasonal challenges. On Wednesdays after school in classroom D101, a vibrant community of students passionate about technology and robotics come together to explore the fascinating world of robotics. From the electrifying buzz of competitions to the inclusive elements of the club, every moment is full of creativity and determination.
So what is Vex Robotics? Vex Robotics is an engaging and innovative platform where students design, build, and program robots to compete in a seasonal challenge. Competitions require creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork among participants, making it an exciting arena for budding engineers and tech enthusiasts. Vex Robotic Competitions (VRC) is a robotics competition format where teams, consisting of two robots each, engage in a seasonal 2v2 game. The thing that sets VRC apart from other robotics competitions is that Vex does not provide a set of instructions for robot construction, allowing teams to showcase their creativity and ingenuity in crafting unique and effective robots.
Luckily for anyone interested in Vex Robotics, the Vex Robotics club at our school is one of the best in the state. Under the expert guidance of AP CSP and AP CSA teacher Mr. Isaac Cabase, who has 15 years of experience in the Vex ecosystem, the club has achieved remarkable milestones, including fostering teams that have won several state titles as well as had good placements in national competitions. The club provides a welcoming space for both beginners and experienced students, creating an environment of learning and growth. The club offers a space for members to explore their specific interests in the club from coding in C++ to actually building a robot.
“My favorite part of the club is building the robots. I enjoyed watching the game trailer and making decisions that guided the direction of the design we were making in the club,” member Cody Ho (12) said.
Several of Ayala’s teams have also showcased exceptional talent from winning state-level competitions to participating on the national stage. For the last four years, the Ayala Vex Robotics Club has made it to the state championship with three different teams.
One of the club’s standout features is how inclusive it is. This club has integrated students from all sorts of diverse backgrounds including but not limited to Hispanics, African Americans, an even a non-ambulatory wheelchair user. The Vex Robotics club strives to be inclusive and extends to embrace all genders as well, with one of the Club’s staples being an all-girls robotics team in a field that is primarily dominated by men.
“I coached the first all-girl team to win any state title at the junior high and high school level of any major robotics competition or any major tech competition,” Mr. Cabase said.
However, with the graduation of the all-girls team, Mr. Cabase has embarked on trying to convince new members to join and form a new all-girls team.
Nicole Ochoa (12), the Vex Robotics Club president, is hoping to expand the Vex Robotics Club immensely. With a focus on expanding membership, she aims to create a vibrant and diverse community of robotics enthusiasts. Under her leadership, the club has exciting activities planned, including coding sessions and hands-on building. Even if you have little to no background in coding or building, the club is welcoming and willing to get you up to speed.
“It is so much fun. If you’re in the computer science pathway, we work really well with that. If you’re part of the engineering pathway, we work really well with principles of engineering. And if you just want to get interested in beginner robotics, we are the most beginner-friendly club, so we’ll teach you from the ground up,” Ochoa said.
With the ever so competitive field of robotics, Ayala has still managed to be one of the top teams in California. To help continue this trend into following years, consider joining the Vex Robotics club and maybe even joining one of its competition teams.
