Schools compete for place in robot world championship

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Pictured: Allan Sas and Robbie O'Hanlon from Deerpark CBS, Cork with EMC mentor Gavin King programming their robots using Vex Robotics technology in advance of the second annual EMC VEX Robotics championship this weekend

22 January 2014

Fourteen teams from 10 Cork schools will compete to impress judges at the second annual EMC VEX Robotics championship at the Nexus Centre on the Cork Institute of Technology campus on 24 January. The top team will qualify for a place at the Vex World championships in California, facing schools from around the world.

VEX Robotics is a global initiative designed to boost interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) amongst secondary school students. Using VEX technology, students design and build robots to compete in a competition in which the robots are programmed and guided by remote control.

In preparation for the competition, each school was assigned a mentor to guide students through the design, building, programming and testing phases of their robots over the past three months.

Entrants will vie for an overall Excellence Award and the winning team will secure a place in the global tournament in California this April.

Other awards include: the Tournament Champions Award; the Design Award: the Judges’ Award; the Sportsmanship Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award.

The participating teams include: Davis College, Mallow; North Monastery, North Cork; McEgan College, Macroom; Deerpark CBS, Cork City; Bishopstown Community School, Bishopstown; St Colman’s Community College, Middleton; Colaiste Pobail Naomh Mhuire, Buttevant; Ballincollig Community School, Ballincollig; Colaiste Choilm, Ballincollig; Nagle Community College, Mahon and a Coder Dojo CIT team from Bishopstown

Commenting in advance of this week’s competition, Tim Kerins, teacher, Deerpark CBS Cork said: “The Vex initiative draws together teaching, learning and technology in a way that students can relate to and enjoy. Technology is increasingly defining how we live and how we teach and we found that getting students to build robots was an innovative and practical way for them to apply their classroom learning.”

Martin O’Flaherty, programme manager at EMC and Vex Robotics leader said: “It is vital that young people equip themselves with the tools to function in an increasingly digital economy. Science and technology skills have never been more important and EMC, as one of Ireland’s largest employers in the technology sector, wanted to partner with schools to develop students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and maths. The VEX Robotics competition teaches the basics of these skills in a fun and sporting environment, while offering schools a chance to showcase Ireland’s new engineering talent to the world.”

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