The Oak Park Education Foundation’s 6th annual VEX Robotics competition was a thrilling event! The Julian gym was packed with cheering friends, fans, parents and siblings. Julian took the lead early on; then Brooks pulled from behind to win 152-116.
The 6th, 7th and 8th grade participants designed, built and programmed a wide variety of clever robots that picked up rings and place them on fixed and movable goal posts on the competition playing field. Six teams from each school will advance to a regional competition in Batavia on Saturday, February 12.
Many thanks to Event Director Mary Beth Hausken, VEX Program Coordinator Mark Pickus, Team leaders Tim Walsh, Jason Morrell, Jason Madel and Bob Woodlock, Judge Marc Couture, Emcee Jim Gates, Technical Director Josh Prisching, Video Equipment provider Rob Kowalski, Video Producers Rich Hillengas and Mary Jaime, Photographers Paul Goyette and David Kindler, Scorekeeper Mike Farrar, Scoreboard Operator Kevin Berger, Competition Cafe Managers Dee Goldman and Mary Mitrovich, and Team Mentors Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin, Jess Cornman, Matt Couture, Dee Goldman, Jake Ellenbogen, Lucas Firpo, Sergio Firpo, Habiba, Sam Hanson, Mary Beth Hausken, Kandiah Kanagandram, Rachel Kolodziej, Seth Larson, Elliot Mertz, Bob Parks, Ian Parks, Nighet Razvi, Denis Roarty, Curtis Sell, Woody Skinkle, Leah Sacks, Yulia Semibratova, Sully Stewart, Alanna Sullivan, Luisa Vasquez, Milos Zefran.
Thanks also to our sponsor, Aria Group Architects, Inc.
Click here to see photos from the competition from Oak Park photographers David Kindler and Paul Goyette.