VEX Summer Camp Registration Opens Today

Registration opened today for our annual VEX Summer Camp.  To provide options for all families, we are once again offering an overnight version of the camp (from June 7-11) and a day-camp version (from June 14-18).  You can find more information and the registration link here – https://airtable.com/shrK1NeVsKyHAM1NY

We successfully ran our overnight camp last summer, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.  We have developed camp plans for this year which will once again allow students to enjoy all the fun and learning of camp.

COVID-19 can be beat – State of Michigan officials are urged not to shut down all youth activities

If you’re looking for some good news – visit the Grandville Robotics Center where we’ve been beating coronavirus since June 6.

Robotics program leaders are working with the Department of Health and Human Services and urging State of Michigan officials not to close the Grandville Robotics program – it’s one of the safest places a student can be. This program serves hundreds of students every day, and the program has operated since its reopening on June 6 with ZERO coronavirus transmissions.

The Grandville Robotics program provides hands-on science and technology programs for K-12 students. We are one of the largest and most successful competitive robotics programs in the country, and our teams routinely beat top teams from all over America. We have proven thus far that we can also beat COVID-19. Our programs have operated for 24 consecutive weeks without even a single case where one program participant passed COVID-19 to another.

This is not a small accomplishment. We have operated day camps and overnight camps with students from Michigan and surrounding states. We currently run more than 70 elementary, middle school, and high school teams. We have run multiple high school competitions at our facility since August 26, bringing together top teams from six states. We have run elementary and middle school Lego League, VEX IQ, and VEX EDR competitions for hundreds of students. And yet, through the determined efforts of our families and tight health protocols, we have had ZERO COVID-19 transmissions in any of our programs.

Our program is a model for coronavirus precautions that has been adopted at facilities and competitions around the country. We pioneered health screening and contact tracing programs for youth teams. We use masks, social-distancing, small group cohorts, and enhanced cleaning practices to reduce the risk of passing coronavirus. Our facility is a closed environment, and only screened and approved team members and coaches may enter. We do not allow parents in the building, nor spectators at any of our events. We broadcast our elementary, middle school, and high school Leagues and Tournaments to the internet so families and fans can watch.

We have beaten coronavirus for 24 weeks, and we can continue to beat it. As community COVID-19 cases have climbed, the Grandville Robotics Center has continued to be one of the safest places a student can be. State, county, and local officials are invited to visit the Grandville Robotics Center, virtually or in-person, and to understand our success before issuing blanket coronavirus rules that will force this model of coronavirus success to close.

Learn more about our programs and retrace our path to success beating COVID-19 on our Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/GrandvilleRobotics and https://www.facebook.com/TheRoboDawg

Grandville RoboDawgs collect returnable bottles and cans

Grandville Robotics supports more than 100 competitive robotics teams serving K-12 students, including the well-known Grandville High School RoboDawgs.

The RoboDawg program has remained active through the Stay at Home period in Michigan and kept students engaged using virtual meetings, challenges, zoom sessions, and remote 3D printing. Much of the program’s funding is in jeopardy due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Grandville teams are collecting returnable cans and bottles to fund their summer programs, and they are working toward a goal of 100,000 cans and bottles in May.

A huge collection bin has been set up at the Grandville Robotics Center at 4900 Canal in Grandville and area residents are asked to donate their empty returnables to support Grandville robotics teams. While many area charities have stopped accepting more cans and bottles, the RoboDawgs are prepared to bag and store more than 500,000 returnables to help keep their programs running this summer and fall.

Grandville High School RoboDawgs bring home State of Michigan VEX Robotics Championship

Grandville Public Schools built on their winning tradition today, winning the State of Michigan High School VEX Robotics Championship.  The RoboDawgs were runner-up at the State of Michigan VEX Championship last year, after winning the State Championship in both 2018 and 2017.

Not only did the RoboDawgs win today – five of the top eight teams at the 2020 State Championship were RoboDawg teams.

A RoboDawg team also won the 2020 State Excellence Award (the top Award in VEX Robotics), after bringing home this banner in both 2019 and 2018.

Completing the set of top State honors, RoboDawg teams were the State of Michigan VEX Skills Champions today – after bringing home VEX Skills Championship banners in 2019 and 2017.

Oh, and RoboDawg teams won the State Amaze and Build awards today.

 

 

Grandvillle Qualifies a record Nine Elementary VEX Robotics teams for the State Championship

The State of Michigan VEX IQ Robotics Elementary State Championship is coming up on Saturday, February 29, at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City.  Grandville has qualified a record nine teams for this Championship – and nine of the eighty teams playing at this event will be from Grandville.

Elementary VEX IQ Teams qualified for 2/29 State Championship in Traverse City

201A     Robo Raiders                       GRANDVILLE SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

201B     Geared Up                            GRANDVILLE SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

201C     FLEX                                      GRANDVILLE SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

201D     Cobblestone Crushers       GRANDVILLE SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

201E      Cyber Dragons                   GRANDVILLE SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

204A     Fire                                       GRANDVILLE CUMMINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

204B     Ice                                         GRANDVILLE CUMMINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

205E      A² (A Squared)                   GRANDVILLE CENTURY PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

208A     Dancing Marshmallows               GRANDVILLE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Grandville Qualifies Seven Middle School VEX Teams for State Championship

The State of Michigan Middle School VEX Robotics Championship is coming up on Saturday, March 7, at Monroe Community College.

Grandville continues to build depth in our robotics programs, and seven of our Middle School teams have qualified for the State Championship.  This is a record number of advancing teams for us!  No middle school in Michigan is sending more teams to the State Championship than Grandville.

Our teams that have earned spots at the Middle School VEX Robotics State Championship include: 216A, 216B, 216C, 216D, 216G, and 216J.

RoboDawgs Introduce the Old Brass Boots

This weekend, the 1st annual Midwest Elite VEX Championship will be held at Grandville Middle School.  This event will bring together the top VEX Robotics teams from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois to play for bragging rights as the Midwest Elite VEX Champion.

As we were planning for this 1st annual event, our organizers were contemplating a trophy worthy of this level of competition.  Something old and interesting that would be valued over many years as the property of that year’s winner of this regional invitational event.  The Old Brass Spittoon and the Old Oaken Bucket came to mind.  VEX events are won by alliances of two teams, so we needed two of whatever we came up with.

Team coaches and supporters searched the country, eventually coming across a pair of antique brass boots at Jon Beasley Antiques, in Cookeville, Tennessee.  More then 50 years old, these solid brass boots polished up nicely!  The boots found there way onto beautiful walnut bases, and will now live on as traveling trophies for the Midwest VEX Elite event.

Grandville Recognizes winners at 14th Annual Regional Lego League Tournament

Grandville High School played host yesterday to Lego League teams from around the area at their 14th annual Lego League event.  Teams brought robots to play on the competition tables and they made presentations on research projects focused on challenges of cities of the future.  Student also participated in technical judging sessions and teamwork challenge.  Our award winners were: (photos of all award winners are below)

Tournament Champion – Team 20759 Snickerdoodledoo Seahorses, Oakwood Intermediate School, Allendale

Second Place Overall, Team 10401 Circuit Breakers, Oakwood Intermediate School, Allendale

Third Place Overall,  Team 11093 Bionic Bulldogs, Central Elementary School, Grandville

Fourth Place Overall, Team 24794 Holy Spirit Robotics, Holy Spirit School, Grand Rapids

Fifth Place Overall, Team 659 M.A.R.S. Mini Rovers, Community Team, Muskegon

Sixth Place Overall, Team 46993 Flying Building Iguanas, Grand Rapids Chrn Es-Iroquois, Grand Rapids

Seventh Place Overall, Team 30565 The Tech Peeps, Our Lady of Consolation School, Rockford

1st Place Robot Performance 659 M.A.R.S. Mini Rovers Team 4004 Muskegon
2nd Place Robot Performance 20759 Snickerdoodledoo Seahorses Oakwood Intermediate School Allendale

1st Place Innovative Project Solution 4040 Dozer Dawgs South Elementary School Grandville
2nd Place Innovative Project Solution 16369 Highway 7 Emmons Lake Elementary School Caledonia

1st Place Research Project Presentation 46993 Flying Building Iguanas Grand Rapids Chrn Es-Iroquois Grand Rapids
2nd Place Research Project Presentation 31068 The Animated Nebulas Lakewood Elementary School Holland
1st Place Research Quality 43864 Lego Legends Rather Elementary School Ionia
2nd Place Research Quality 43863 Waka Waka Robos Rather Elementary School Ionia

1st Place Robot Innovation & Strategy 11087 Pigeon Protectors Cummings Elementary School Grand Rapids
2nd Place Robot Innovation & Strategy 3493 That Next Team Family/Community Belmont
1st Place Robot Mechanical Design 11093 Bionic Bulldogs Central Elementary School Grandville
2nd Place Robot Mechanical Design 17468 RoboKnights Adams Christian School Jenison
1st Place Robot Programming 10401 Circuit Breakers Oakwood Intermediate School Allendale
2nd Place Robot Programming 5594 The Duck Squad Family/Community Belmont

1st Place Teamwork 24794 Holy Spirit Robotics Holy Spirit School Grand Rapids
2nd Place Teamwork 11374 Grandville Geckos South Elementary School Grandville
Inspiration Award 32529 HydroSharks Robert R Oehrli Elementary Sch Montague
Gracious Professionalism 8752 Marshmallow Workers West Elementary School Grandville

Special Award -Against All Odds 30565 The Tech Peeps Our Lady of Consolation School Rockford
Special Award -Rising Star 23750 Architecs Pine Street Elementary School Wayland
Special Award -Judges Choice 18338 Cheesy Potato street Grand View Elementary School, Grandville

 

Elite VEX teams from Midwest Region come to Grandville to compete for the Old Brass Boot

On Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 many of the top High School VEX teams from around the Midwest will travel to Michigan to compete in the first Midwest Regional Elite VEX tournament.  Attendance is by invitation only, and every program invited to this inaugural event has played at the VEX World Championship.  We are very excited that this year’s teams include State Champions, Finalists, and Excellence Award winners from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.  This is going to be the most elite group of teams to come together outside of the World Championship.

This is an invitational, and there are no advancement slots to be awarded.  But – it’s only fitting that an interstate competition in B1G territory be played for an odd antique.  Inspired by the Old Brass Spittoon, and the Old Oaken Bucket, the two teams in the winning alliance will each carry home bragging rights – and a Old Brass Boot.  The boot will be properly engraved, and a plate attached to its base will carry the names of event winners from each year.

We searched the region, and came across this pair of old brass boots from an antique dealer in rural Kentucky.  These weighty trophies will travel with Midwest Elite Champions for years to come……

November 9, 2019 – RoboDawgs win VEX events in two states on the same day

November 9, 2019 was a day of firsts for our 22 year-old robotics program.

Today was the first day a RoboDawg team won a VEX Signature event (team 244A, Captain Jon Bargenquast). Signature events bring together the best VEX team across a region, and today five RoboDawg teams played against some of the top teams in the nation at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Team 244A captained the winning alliance, beating the #1 ranked alliance captained by the team with the top Skills Challenge score in the World.

Today was the first time three RoboDawg teams (team 244A, Captain Jon Bargenquast; team 288C, Captain Josh Symonds; and team 248A, Captain Jack Cucannan) were on winning alliances at two VEX Tournaments (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Signature tournament, West Michigan Fall tournament) in two different states (Indiana and Michigan) on the same day.

Today was the first time two RoboDawg teams (team 244C, Captain Aaron Vandermate; team 244D, Captain Aiden Foley) put up Skills Challenge scores (85 and 61) placing them in the top 30 teams in the World Rankings on the same day.

Oh, and RoboDawg team 248A under Captain Jack Cucannan won the Excellence Award, VEX’s highest award, at the West Michigan Fall tournament.

This was a day for the record books.