PRINCETON, W. Va. -The Mercer County Blended Robotics League Championship brought around a hundred and fifty kids out to show off their skills with building, programing, and controlling robots, with around fifty teams from around fifteen different schools competing against each other for a trophy and the chance to move on to the state-wide competition in Fairmont. One Mercer County principal and robotics leader says holding these competitions keeps kids motivated to learn robotics by making education exciting.
“They get very excited. When it works, it’s like that lightbulb goes on, they get excited. When they get a really high score for the day, they’re excited because they’ve worked really hard, and they want to do well…” says Kelli Stanley, a lead coordinator for the Mercer County Blended Robotics League.
This is the result of a full season of work, with teams building, testing, and rebuilding robots since September of last year. For many of these kids, this is their first time competing in a robotics competition of this scale. We spoke to some of these first-time participants.
“Robotics is fun and it’s really fun to come to competitions,” says Brantley Hosier, a student from Bluefield Middle School.
“I wanted to try it because it seemed cool because… my brother did it, and it seemed pretty cool, so I wanted to try it,” says Maggie Villarreal, another student from Bluefield Middle School.
“Robotic is fun, entertaining, and… you meet new friends here,” says Nate Scott, a student from Straley Elementary School.
All the students we spoke to say they learn a lot through this robotic program and have fun at the same time.
“I learned how to do a lot of coding and a lot of hands-on building,” says Tyler Broomfield, a Bluefield Middle School student.
“The fact that you all get to work together, you get to meet new people, you get to go to different places, and you get to compete and build and help your mind grow,” says Kealeigh, a Straley Elementary School student.
However, Stanley says the learning here goes beyond the sciences, with this competition teaching valuable life lessons that they can take with them even outside of robotics.
“Obviously they’re building a robot, and they’re figuring out how to do that. Honestly, them having to work together, and collaborate, and problem solve and get along is a huge part of children’s development, and they have to do that, and… they fuss, they fight, they take things apart, they get mad at each other, and they work through that to get to be the best team that they can be. I really think that’s the part they don’t realize they’re learning that they are,” says Stanley.
Stanley and the students we spoke to encourage those interested in participating in next year’s Blended Robotics League Championship by joining the VEX robotics team at your local school.
Mercer County students who did well today will get the chance to show their skills again at the 2025 VEX State Championships that will be held in March.
Copyright 2025 WVVA. All rights reserved.