By Jenna Lusk ’21
Concordia Lutheran High School’s JROTC Robotics Team was named winner of the VEX Robotics JROTC World Championship. In May, the RoboRangers competed to beat teams across the world in a timed skills match where, through coding and driving, the team built, designed, and experimented to become World Champions.
RoboRanger Team 33112B won the VEX Robotics Excellence Award, the highest VEX award, which credits the team for overall excellence in building high-quality robotics in every judged category. Team 33112A received the Design Award for demonstrating organization and professionalism in the design process and teamwork.
Though reigned victorious, there were many obstacles to overcome for the RoboRangers. Due to COVID-19, the team had to work around numerous practice and competition restrictions. The team continued to keep high spirits that resulted in “friendships and bonds that were strengthened and forged,” according to junior Eric Saunders.
With shortened time, the team made every effort to come in to build and code. Thanks to JROTC Robotics Instructor, MAJ John Sheaffer, the team was able to meet and compete in many competitions and prove to be worthy contenders for World Champs.
The win for the RoboRangers was proof of the hard work each member put into making the RoboRangers World Champions.
“(The win was) rewarding, and I'm really proud of how hard our team worked. I wouldn't ask for a better team,” said senior McKenzie Humbert.
With a promising new season and title to maintain, the team is already designing and preparing for the upcoming season.
“My hope for our team is that we don’t sell ourselves short. We have a chance once again to do something on a global scale,” said Robotics Drivers Commander senior Gabe Sommermeyer.
Robotics Coders Commander senior Simon Fairchild mirrored that statement.
“(We) will create an effective program for the bot provided by the builders to defend our title as World Champions,” he said.