Aquatic robot race at Navy base in Japan submerges students in STEM

Remington Herrin, left, and Rafael Menzel team up to compete in the SeaPerch Challenge, an aquatic robotics race, at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on April 7, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — An annual robotics competition put students through their underwater paces this week at the homeport of the Navy’s 7th Fleet.

Thirteen teams from Nile C. Kinnick High and the middle schools at Yokosuka and Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo competed in Sunday’s SeaPerch Challenge at the Purdy Gym pool.

They navigated an underwater obstacle course using remotely operated vehicles they fashioned themselves. Each team was required to use identical motors, batteries and propellers to build their robots but were allowed to make their choice of adjustments and additions.

“Having this opportunity to build robots that not only move but move underwater and be able to swim is a really unique experience,” Soul Vessels, president of Kinnick’s Robotics Club, said at the event.

The competitive program is organized by SeaPerch, an Arlington, Va.-based organization that fosters learning in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It sells $270 kits and materials to get students underway.

The 13 teams, each composed of two to three students, had 10 minutes to complete the Purdy pool course.

A student-built remotely-operated vehicle navigates atheaquatic obstacle course during the SeaPerch Challenge at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on April 7, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes)

SeaPerch Challenge competitor Rafael Menzel places his team’s remotely-operated vehicle into the aquatic obstacle course at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, on April 7, 2024. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes)

The SeaPerch Challenge, an underwater obstacle course navigated by remotely operated vehicles, has become an annual event for students at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. (Jennessa Davey/Stars and Stripes)

In the high school category, first place went to Vessels, Chase Hassell and Quinn Hassell, with a time of 1 minute, 26 seconds. Second went to Nathaniel Lazaro, Pierce Supnet and Vince Gomez, whose robot finished in 2:32. Fiona Brooks and Ella Eriksen won third with a time of 3:27.

The top middle schoolers all came from Yokota. First place went to Louis Tomsic, Caleb Sangston and Aeson Overtonwon with a time of 2:32. Second went to Raffaele Ricco-Carson and Derek Bowie with a time of 2:33. Dylan Ishida, Noah Mills and Robbie Polansky won third with a time of 2:38.

First-place winners are eligible for the SeaPerch International competition in Maryland between May 31 and June 1.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command provided a nearly $4,000 grant to support STEM teachers at Yokosuka in 2022, which benefited students again this year, Angela Lewis, a biology teacher and sponsor for Kinnick’s Engineering Club, said at the event.