Team K of Notre Dame’s VEX IQ robotics group, the Bumble Bees, came out on top yesterday in the GM-sponsored VEX IQ Elementary School Michigan State Championship, which was held at Charlotte Middle School in Charlotte, Mich. As a result of their big win yesterday, the team qualifies for the VEX IQ World Championsip, which will be held in April in Louisville, Kentucky.
Team 3333K, or the “Poison Vipers,” is comprised of third graders from Notre Dame’s lower division. They are Brooke Beaudoin, Andrew Chang, Augustin Villajuan and Lucas DiGrande.
In addition to Team K, Team N (Motorheads), Team T (The Terminators), and Team J (Code Crushers) from Notre Dame’s lower division qualified to go to the World Championship in April.
Notre Dame sponsored more than 55 middle and lower division students competing on 13 different teams in the state championships in Charlotte this weekend. Middle-division VEX IQ teams will be competing today in the state championship in Charlotte.
More about the VEX IQ Challenge
The VEX IQ Challenge, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, is a relatively new STEM program for elementary and middle school students (ages 8-14). Students, with guidance from their teachers and mentors, build robots using the VEX IQ robotics platform to solve an engineering challenge that is presented in the form of a game. VEX IQ Challenge teams work together scoring points in Teamwork Matches, and also display their robot’s skills individually in driver controlled and autonomous Skills Challenges. In addition to building robots, the VEX IQ Challenge encourages students to actively learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics with a STEM-themed research project that consists of a written or media presentation.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.