The Adventist Robotics tournament returned to Glendale Adventist Academy this year for the 17th competition in the Southern California Conference (SCC).
Since its inception in 2002, Adventist Robotics has recognized the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education in Adventist schools. Bob Dennis, interim associate superintendent at SCC, spearheaded the first robotics event in SCC in 2005 and is committed to the program.
Adventist Robotics in Southern California has grown since, and this year’s competition welcomed 13 teams from SCC, Southeastern California Conference, and Pacific Union Conference’s Holbrook Indian School in Arizona.
Volunteers stepped up to fill crucial roles as judges and referees, solidifying their commitment to supporting STEM education. “We’re drawing people who are not part of the robotics world, but they see the value in what we’re trying to do,” said James P. Willis, SCC vice president for education. “So many of the volunteers are pastors and office personnel. It’s not just an education department event; it’s an event that represents the conference as a whole.”
Nuris Barriga, SCC youth ministries and senior youth and young adult ministries assistant, was excited to volunteer as a judge for the second time this year. For the judging portion, each team researched a problem and presented their solution to the judges, who evaluated teams based on three areas: innovation project, robot design, and core values.
“I enjoyed learning about their different inventions and how they come up with ideas on how to improve the world,” Barriga said. “One of the questions I always ask the teams is, ‘What happens if you don’t succeed— if you’re at the table ready to go and your device doesn’t work?’ And they all shared backup plans they had in place.”
The creative problem-solving skills students demonstrated in their presentations were on display at the competition table after the judging portion. Each team worked together to compete in three rounds to determine their high score.
“It’s important for schools that are interested to have a robotics team,” said Willis. “It engages their ability to be creative, to work as a team on a project, and it gives them a product they can be proud of. If you want to highlight what’s special at your school, robotics can serve that purpose.”
Three teams are advancing to the Adventist Robotics Championship in Apopka, Florida: Robo Falcons, Antelope Valley Atoms, and The One Piece.
