Three teams from Pittsburgh, Tokyo, and Tullamore prove how iteration and teamwork turn classroom learning into championship-level results. Their stories lead this issue. At the bottom, you’ll find three quick tips from the Education Team to use in class right now.
Jump to a section to read:
- From Zero to the VEX Robotics World Championship: How the IQ Pandas Iterated Their Way to Dallas
- DamBare’s Dual-Scoring Strategy—and What Inspired Them at Worlds
- The STEMinists’ Playbook: Resilience You Can Teach By
- VEX GO: Three New Python Activities
- VEX GO Help: Clearer API Examples
- VEX IQ Builds: Speed Build 2.0 + M.A.D. Box Updates
From Zero to the VEX Robotics World Championship: How the IQ Pandas Iterated Their Way to Dallas
Team 15104B IQ Pandas, from Pittsburgh, PA, showed outstanding strength and strategic thinking in their inaugural season. The team ended up with their best score ever at the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship and finished in the top half of their division. This excellent result was thanks to a key choice they made: when their first build wasn’t getting them the scores they were after, they decided to scrap it and start over with a new robot!
This brave step, along with the constant support and guidance of their dedicated teacher, Tina Dietrich, led them to success. Dietrich’s constant support gave the team the confidence and tools they needed to navigate through a tough robotics season.
The IQ Pandas relied on constant iteration and strong collaboration, in addition to making decisions and mentoring each other. They knew that they needed to keep testing and improving their designs and plans over and over again. Their new robot featured gear ratios and wheels optimized for speed and reliability and an overall larger robot, which aided them in quickly completing the tasks of Rapid Relay.
Working with international teams at the VEX Robotics World Championship broadened their perspectives and sparked innovative ideas, demonstrating the potency of cross-border collaboration in problem-solving. This mix of iterative development and working together with others turned what could have been a difficult first season into a wonderful and rewarding show of skill and teamwork.
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DamBare’s Dual-Scoring Strategy—and What Inspired Them at Worlds
Team DamBare, officially Team 2547A, from Showa Elementary in Tokyo, Japan, discovered how having two scoring methods provided them with flexibility because it used two different ways to score. This two-pronged approach gave them the freedom to change their strategy from one match to the next based on the specific problems and setups they faced.
DamBare said they really hoped that the new (at the time) VEX IQ Robotics Competition Game, Mix & Match, would lead to even more cooperation on the field between competing teams in the future. They imagined a game where working together and making strategic alliances would be even more important, encouraging a spirit of helping each other and working together to solve problems.
The team reflected on two of their most memorable moments at the VEX Robotics World Championship. First, they enjoyed being able to watch and learn from the unique and creative ways that other teams used robot design and game strategy to problem solve. This experience of seeing global innovation was very educational. Second, and just as important, they were very proud to represent Japan on such a big global stage. A highlight of their trip was showing off their skills and culture to others.
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The STEMinists’ Playbook: Resilience You Can Teach By
Team 18778D SHS STEMinists, from Tullamore, Ireland, started their competition with the Rapid Relay Hero Bot, “Swish.” This first design worked, but it was just a starting point. The team didn’t let early problems stop them; they immediately focused on a strict iteration process, carefully improving Swish for the best speed and consistency.
The STEMinists didn’t give up when a certain design or programming sequence didn’t work out as planned. Instead, they saw these failures as opportunities to learn. Every time something went wrong, they got more motivated to analyze, rebuild, and retest, which created an atmosphere of constant improvement and problem solving. This iterative method was crucial to their success, helping them stay positive and keep pushing forward.
Along with their competitive spirit, the SHS STEMinists also demonstrate the value of friendship. They loved giving and receiving handmade gifts from other teams competing at the VEX Robotics World Championship, which showed them how supportive and collaborative the STEM community is. Each year, young innovators from different backgrounds make connections and share excitement through this thoughtful and creative exchange of items they bring with them from their hometowns.
The constant support of their dedicated teachers, Aisling Burke and Sindy Meleady, greatly contributed to the team’s accomplishments and determination. Their assistance extended beyond the technical aspects of robotics. They provided support and advice not only in Tullamore but also in Texas. The STEMinists’ hard work and the teachers’ faith in their students showed that perseverance is a skill that can be learned and developed.
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VEX GO: Three New Python Activities
Three new Python activities help classrooms transition from blocks to text coding with less setup time and more hands-on learning.
Read more on VEX PD+ (no subscription required) here!
Try the activities below:
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VEX GO Help: Clearer API Examples
Updated help pages now include embedded examples for every block section, plus clearer build guidance that keeps students focused on learning.
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VEX IQ Builds: Speed Build 2.0 + M.A.D. Box Updates
Class-friendly updates to Speed Build 2.0 and Mad Box eliminate common assembly issues while adding 3D instruction support.
Open the updated build instructions
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