Ca. high school robotics team qualifies for world championship
A high school robotics team out of Santa Cruz County is headed to the world championship after finishing in third place at a regional competition.The Hephaestus Robotics team, created in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and the X Academy, consists of members from the Santa Cruz COE X Academy Robotics Clubs.They competed in the MATE ROV (Marine Advanced Technology Education – Remotely Operated Vehicle) Monterey Bay Regional Competition on May 4 at Watsonville High School, facing off against 30 other teams of students from across Central California, including 10 teams from Santa Cruz County. Teams competed in three separate classes based on experience: Scout, Navigator and Ranger. The Hephaestus Robotics team finished third in the Ranger division, which is the top class. “We are incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work of every student who entered the MATE ROV competition, and grateful to the X Academy for this impactful local partnership. By working together to build underwater robots, students are able to develop a range of STEAM skills while fostering teamwork and critical thinking,” said Dr. Faris Sabbah, Santa Cruz County superintendent of schools.The X Academy Robotics Clubs also sent another team to this year’s regional competition; the Angry Otters finished in second place in the Navigator class. The top three teams from the Ranger class have qualified for the MATE ROV World Championship in Kingsport, Tennessee, June 20-22.The 2023-24 school year was the inaugural launch of the Santa Cruz COE X Academy Robotics Clubs program, providing hands-on experience in robotics to all high school students within Santa Cruz County at no cost.The goals of the program are to build student skills in entrepreneurship, team work, and collaboration, as well as technical skills in robotics, computer programming, design, engineering, and fabrication.In total, more than 40 students from 16 schools, spanning from the Pajaro Valley to the San Lorenzo Valley, participated in the program in its first year. See more coverage of top Central Coast stories here | Download our app.
A high school robotics team out of Santa Cruz County is headed to the world championship after finishing in third place at a regional competition.
The Hephaestus Robotics team, created in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and the X Academy, consists of members from the Santa Cruz COE X Academy Robotics Clubs.
They competed in the MATE ROV (Marine Advanced Technology Education – Remotely Operated Vehicle) Monterey Bay Regional Competition on May 4 at Watsonville High School, facing off against 30 other teams of students from across Central California, including 10 teams from Santa Cruz County.
Teams competed in three separate classes based on experience: Scout, Navigator and Ranger.
The Hephaestus Robotics team finished third in the Ranger division, which is the top class.
“We are incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work of every student who entered the MATE ROV competition, and grateful to the X Academy for this impactful local partnership. By working together to build underwater robots, students are able to develop a range of STEAM skills while fostering teamwork and critical thinking,” said Dr. Faris Sabbah, Santa Cruz County superintendent of schools.
The X Academy Robotics Clubs also sent another team to this year’s regional competition; the Angry Otters finished in second place in the Navigator class.
The top three teams from the Ranger class have qualified for the MATE ROV World Championship in Kingsport, Tennessee, June 20-22.
The 2023-24 school year was the inaugural launch of the Santa Cruz COE X Academy Robotics Clubs program, providing hands-on experience in robotics to all high school students within Santa Cruz County at no cost.
The goals of the program are to build student skills in entrepreneurship, team work, and collaboration, as well as technical skills in robotics, computer programming, design, engineering, and fabrication.
In total, more than 40 students from 16 schools, spanning from the Pajaro Valley to the San Lorenzo Valley, participated in the program in its first year.
See more coverage of top Central Coast stories here | Download our app.
