This Saturday, January 25th, three of our Bountiful Elementary robotics teams will take the stage at their first VEX IQ competition of the season. We are excited to cheer on 4xthesmarts, G.O.A.T. Girls, and The Moonwalkers, as they showcase their creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork at Syracuse Jr. High.
For those unfamiliar, VEX IQ competitions are action-packed events, where students participate in a variety of activities, including:
Teamwork Matches: Teams are randomly paired together to compete in six timed matches, working collaboratively to earn points.
Drivers Skills Challenge: Teams showcase their ability to manually control their robot and score as many points as possible with 3 timed attempts.
Autonomous Skills Challenge: Robots preform independently, following students preprogrammed commands, accumulating points during allotted time.
Judges' Interviews: Students share their design process, teamwork strategies, and learning experiences with a panel of event judges.
Engineering Notebook: Teams present a detailed log of their planning, designs, and improvements through the season.
Teams have the opportunity to earn a variety of awards at each competition. Some, like the Teamwork Champion Award, are based purely on performance during teamwork matches, while others like the Excellence Award and Design Award, are judged and take into account factors such as interviews, the quality of the engineering notebook, and overall team professionalism. Additional awards may recognize standout achievements in programming, driving skills, or innovation; with competitions frequently offering mystery awards to keep participants engaged in the student-led environment. VEX IQ awards are designed to celebrate a wide range of talents and contributions, ensuring every team has a chance to shine.
We appreciate how these competitions allow our students to apply STEM concepts while developing critical skills like leadership, collaboration, and perseverance. We are so proud of all our robotics teams and wish them the best of luck this weekend! Let's cheer them on as they represent Bountiful Elementary. Go Bobcats!