Students Go High Tech At MN VEX Robotics State Championship

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- Over 200 teams were competing to go to the World Championships this weekend. The Minnesota State Championship in VEX Robotics was held at the River's Edge Convention Center from Thursday through Saturday.

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Paul Habstritt, WJON

A team needed to win a competition or score an invite in order to advance to the VEX World Championships. Event Partner Katie Frank says all of the teams work really hard to get here:

"They have been designing and programming, and building their robots in order to successfully play game challenges that were tasked to them at the beginning of the season, and a bunch of different events led up to this specific moment, this specific tournament, the state championship."

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Students from elementary through college level take part in the tournament, and there was a different game or challenge for the different age levels. While there were a lot of parents and classmates cheering on the teams, Frank says community members come to watch as well:

"I actually had spoken with a lady yesterday on the phone who had never done anything with robotics before, and she had called me up and asked if she could bring her children to this event and just see what it was about."

Paul Habstritt, WJON

VEX Robotics is celebrating 15 years in Minnesota and there were 29 World Championship spots up for grabs, which will be held in Dallas, TX from May 6th - 14th.

Paul Habstritt, WJON

Paul Habstrtt, WJON

Paul Habstritt, WJON

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