Robotics is gaining in popularity throughout Ohio County Schools, and the school system is now set to host its first-ever robotics tournament.
The VEX VRC Robotics Tournament for middle and high school students will be held at 9 a.m. on Feb. 26 at Wheeling Park High School. The competition will involve 28 teams from Ohio, Marshall, Brooke, Wetzel, Monongalia and Marion counties.
The VEX Robotics Competition is the largest and fastest-growing middle school and
high school robotics program globally. With guidance from their teachers, students build innovative robots for the competition. Ohio County Schools Innovation Coordinator JoJo Shay said students taking part in the event must utilize problem-solving skills, strategize and code robots during the exciting competitions.
“It’s quite a unique opportunity for our students, and I couldn’t be more excited,” she said. “The students learn and practice important skills. It involves on-the-spot problem solving and collaboration. They may have to rebuild or recode their robot to be ready for the next match, so there are important choices to be made akin to real-life decision making.”
Shay said the Ohio County Schools Vex VRC Robotics Program began two years ago under the direction of Wheeling Park High School teacher Luke Shepherd. She said the Ohio County Board of Education and the school system’s administration have been quite supportive of the program. Shay noted that the program has benefitted from a generous $18,000 donation from the Stifel Trust.
According to Shay, the robotics program is flourishing, and the students are benefitting from it.
“It’s been wonderful to watch our students grow in this way,” she said. “It’s an all-around great experience, and It is creating a pipeline of creativity for students in our schools. It’s a unique opportunity, and it is so much fun to watch students discover a place in which they find their passion.”
Admission for the competition is free. Those attending are asked to enter through the school’s activities entrance.
