Madison Highland Prep recently hosted the 11th Annual VEX Robotics State Qualifying Competition, bringing together top robotics teams from across the state. On Saturday, January 11th, 2025, students from 11 schools, including Higley High School, Dark Matter High School, Highland Prep, Highland Prep West, Madison Highland Prep, International School of Arizona Middle School, Mountainside Middle School, and Madison Middle School, gathered to compete in an action-packed day of robotics challenges.
The success of the event relied on the hard work and dedication of many volunteers. The competition was led by Head Referee Oluwamayowa Esan, who has expertly managed all Highland Prep Academies VEX Robotics competitions for the 2024-2025 academic year. A team from Blue Orthodontics, who have generously supported Madison Highland Prep's robotics program for years, were the competition judges. Additional management support was provided by Geoffrey Winship, REC Support, and Jared Flores, Technology Specialist.
Scorekeeper referees included Hazel Zimmerman, Angelina Yanes, Lennie Vasquez, and Noah Medina. Skills referees were Liam Steindler and Do Trong Nghia. Field resetters Daniel Sotelo, Jaron Dispo, Jaeden Tovar, Brenna Ledbetter, Khy'renee McKnight, and Casey Deng ensured a seamless competition. Reshma Watson and Madison Highland Prep principal, Rosana Rodriguez, kept the competition running smoothly as queuers. Special thanks to event partner and STEM Coach, Michele MacLeod, who planned and coordinated the event.
The winners of the competition were Team 52311P from Highland Prep, who received the Judges Award, Team 7996D from Higley High School, who took home the Excellence Award and the Robot Skills Champion Award, Team 52311H from Highland Prep, who won the Design Award and were part of the Tournament Champion alliance, and Team 781X from Dark Matter High School, who won the Innovate Award and were part of the Tournament Champion alliance.
Madison Highland Prep is proud to have hosted this exciting event, which helps to inspire and develop the next generation of innovators and leaders. As the 11th Annual VEX Robotics State Qualifying Competition comes to a close, Madison Highland Prep is already looking forward to next year's competition, eager to once again bring together the brightest minds in robotics and provide a platform for students to showcase their talents and ingenuity.