
Cayman Robotics Teams Excel at First International Competition – “Robolution 2025” in Broward County, Florida
On Saturday 18 January, two 345Robotics teams participated in “Robolution 2025”, a primary school robotics competition in Broward County, Florida, with one team winning the prestigious VexIQ Sportsmanship Award.
The four members of the 345Robotics teams are among 20 primary school students who have been working since August to design, build, code and drive robots for this year’s VexIQ competition, working with instructor-coaches Brandon Ebanks and Kendra Okonski.
During the course of the day, both teams excelled in their participation in a fast-paced series of one-minute challenges against more than 20 local teams. “Robot Skills” tests teams’ ability to drive their robots both manually and with autonomous coding for the game, called “Rapid Relay”. The “Teamwork” challenge emphasizes alliances between two teams that have not previously worked together, to collaborate and earn the same score.
During the “Robolution 2025” awards ceremony, Team 6810B – a three member, all girl team with members Omya A. and Brianna A. participating at this event – received the prestigious VexIQ “Sportsmanship” award, which “recognizes a high degree of good sportsmanship, helpfulness, respect, and a positive attitude both on and off the competition field.” (*Criteria below)
All team members – Kai L., Ava S. (team 6810A), Brianna A. & Omya A. (6810B) – received the event’s “Golden Gear” recognition awards. In addition, Omya and Ava received special commendation from the judges for their positive contribution to fellow participants and volunteers at the event.
This is the first time any Cayman Islands teams have participated formally in the global VexIQ robotics competition, which has 1.1 million participants in 70 countries. For the past three years, 345Robotics has been working in partnership and collaboration with the US-based Robotics & Education Competition Foundation to build this foundation.
Kendra Okonski, Founder and Director of 345Robotics, the local non-profit that has taken the lead on primary school robotics in Cayman, praised the teams and gave thanks to all those who have supported the organisation: “This significant achievement by Cayman’s primary school students would not have been possible without the tremendous support of our sponsors and partners, especially Enterprise Cayman, which generously donates space at Signal House where we practice and hold local competitions.”
Ms Okonski added, “We are building fun, inclusive and accessible robotics activities, competitions, and community.” She also thanked all the volunteers whose contributions have been essential to 345Robotics and the teams’ participation in Robolution.
She praised in particular, “One of our parent volunteers, Beth, who moved mountains this past week to enable one of our Caymanian students to be issued with a passport and visa so she could travel to participate in Robolution. We are also very grateful to the event partners, dozens of volunteer referees, judges and parents that facilitated Robolution, and gave our teams and parents such a warm welcome.”
345Robotics is a registered Cayman Islands non-profit organisation.
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“Robolution 2025” Event details: https://www.robotevents.com/
RE-VIQRC-24-6
- “Rapid Relay” 2024-25 VexIQ robotics competition: https://www.vexrobotics.com/
iq/competition/viqc-current- game
VexIQ Sportsmanship Award: https://kb.roboticseducation.
org/hc/en-us/articles/ 4912455338391-Guide-to- Judging-Awards#sportsmanship- award-gpuY0
Key criteria of the Sportsmanship Award are:
- Team is courteous, helpful, and respectful to everyone, on and off the field.
- Team interacts with others in the spirit of friendly competition and cooperation.
- Team acts with honesty and integrity, enriching the event experience for all.