Haslett VEX Raptors MSU from Haslett High School competed in the VEX Robotics World Championship from April 23 to April 26 in Anaheim, Calif. The team beat out 430 teams from 27 countries and brought home the coveted VEX Robotics World Championship Excellence Award.
Nik Buchholz, Hannah Kempel, Connor Rowley, Austin Scheerer and Matthew Watson, coaches Claus Buchholz and Kim Schramm, and Kitt the robot were awarded the highest honor in the VEX Robotics Championship high school division. In the past six years, this is only the third high school team in the United States to win the Excellence Award.
“The VEX Excellence Award is a world-class honor that goes to the team with the most well-rounded VEX Robotics program,” said assistant to the dean for recruitment, scholarship and K-12 outreach in the MSU College of Engineering Drew Kim. “MSU is proud that one of the 34 teams that the university sponsors did so well at VEX World Games and is such an outstanding example of the science and engineering skills being developed here in our state.”
The team is sponsored by the Michigan State University College of Engineering. It qualified for world games by taking top honors during the Michigan VEX Robotics State High School Championship, hosted by MSU in March.
Kim credited Robert Watson, K-12 outreach and robotics coordinator for MSU’s College of Engineering, for his outstanding efforts in leading the college’s robotics program. “He is doing all the work and is well-deserving. The College of Engineering deeply appreciates all his efforts,” Kim said.
The Haslett VEX Raptors also finished near the top of the Science Division. They have qualified and competed for the world championship each year since they were founded four years ago.
The second team from Haslett at world games, the Haslett Vortex team, placed 56th in the math division. This team was started with funding from The Foundation for Haslett Schools.
The Raptors and Vortex teams are among the seven award-winning teams of the Haslett Robotics Club. A chance to see the trophies and learn more about how to join one of Haslett¹s seven award-winning robotics teams will be available at the Haslett Robotics Club open house in the Haslett Middle School cafeteria on May 8 from 6 to 8 p.m.