Robots might have been small but the enthusiasm was big when nearly 420 Primary and Secondary students in 135 teams from across Western Australia put their robotic skills to the test at the 2022 RoboCup Junior WA State Event competition in July.
A capacity crowd of parents, friends and mentors cheered on competitors as they participated in one of four categories of On Stage Performance, Soccer and Rescue Maze, which are designed to provide a realistic link between what students learn in the classroom and the real-world application of coding and robotics.
RoboCup Junior WA is the State’s longest running annual robotic challenge which provides a fun and interactive setting for students who must have designed, built and coded robots. The competition also creates an opportunity for student teams to work together, problem solve and develop new skills for the future, something Scitech’s General Manager of Commercial Megan O’Sullivan says is essential for our next generation of innovators.
“It is estimated that 75% of future jobs will require STEM skills and 90% will require digital skills. Scitech’s involvement in RoboCup WA is essential for inspiring and engaging Western Australians in STEM, and encouraging passion and curiosity with robots and tech which will help our next generation develop the necessary skills for a STEM-enabled workforce.”
Winners in the Soccer challenge included Rossmoyne Senior High School and Our Lady of Grace Primary School, with On Stage Performance winners going to St Columbas School and Mel Maria Primary School. Rescue Line winners were Engineering for Kids Willetton, Perth Modern School and All Saints College, and taking out the top spot in the Maze was Sacred Heart College.
Rio Tinto, a long-standing partner of the event, provides the Promise Award which encourages a team to continue their robotics journey by funding their travel to attend the national competition which this year is in Adelaide. This year’s recipient was the team Super Secrets from Secret Harbour Primary School who won with their performance in the Onstage Novice category.
The event is presented by Robocup Junior WA Committee and made possible by Scitech in partnership with Rio Tinto.
Scitech is a not-for-profit organisation proudly supported by the Western Australian Government through the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation
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