Five robotics teams from Indian River qualify for worlds

Five Vex Robotics teams from the Indian River School District have qualified to advance to the world competition set for May in Dallas.

A team from Lord Baltimore Elementary School qualified by winning the design award at the Bots at the Beach regional competition held Feb. 26 at H.O. Brittingham Elementary School in Milton. Team members are Alexander De La Rosa Lopez, Bradley Boyer and Andrei Valliant. The coach was Christina Reed.

Two teams from John M. Clayton Elementary School and one from Southern Delaware School of the Arts also qualified for the world championships based on points earned at the regional competition. Members of the qualifying Hot Gear team from John M. Clayton were Torin Crotty, Asia Hall, Laila Nhan and Rory Spindler. The JMC Banana Bots team consisted of Jack Owens, Brenda Pahren, Molly Parker, Ryleigh Spindler and Zachary Quillen. Both teams were coached by Jaime Swartz. SDSA team members were Jake Garner, Alison Swartz, Alana Patterson, Angelo Zinetti and Maria Gutierrez-Carcamo. The coaches were Laura Quillen and Will Labor.

A team from Selbyville Middle School qualified for the world championships March 12 by winning the design award at the Delmarva Tipping Point regional competition held at Talley Middle School in Wilmington. Team members were Skylar Richards, Conner McGlone, Jeyson Moussa, Grace Kreger and Ayden Beavers. Coaches were Chelina Tingle and Jon Casto.

Another team from Selbyville Middle, consisting of Brayden Robinson, Kaylee Stong, Ketzaly Navarrete and Maribella Dicenzo, captured the VEX Judges Award. Judges present the award to a team they determine to be deserving of special recognition based on criteria such as exemplary effort and perseverance or endeavors throughout the season that may not fit under other award categories.

At the world championships to be held in Dallas, IRSD students will join student-led teams from around the world, ranging from elementary age to university level, showcasing their game strategy, design and teamwork skills.

This marks the first time since 2019 that IRSD students will participate in the world championships. That year, teams from Long Neck Elementary, Georgetown Elementary, Lord Baltimore Elementary and Georgetown Middle schools attended the worlds. In 2020, teams from Lord Baltimore Elementary, John M. Clayton Elementary, Georgetown Elementary and Southern Delaware School of the Arts qualified for the world championships through their performances at the SuperBot Saturday regional tournament held at Sussex Central High School. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the world competition that year.

The world championships were also canceled in 2021, and IRSD students did not complete in VEX Robotics last year due to the pandemic.

The Indian River School District staff and administrators congratulate all of these students and their coaches for the hard work and dedication required to qualify for the world championships, especially after not being able to compete for more than a year. They wish all the teams the best of luck at the world competition.