12-03-2025
Muskogee to host State VEX Robotics meet
Robotics students could solve the vexing problem of stacking plastic rings this week.
The VEX Robotics High Stakes Middle School and High School State Championships will be Thursday and Friday at Hatbox Event Center. Match play begins 10 a.m Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday with finals set for Friday afternoon.
'They're from everywhere — Jay, Roland, Claremore, Oklahoma City area, Verdigris,' Hilldale STEAM teacher Danielle Ward said, adding that 30 high school teams and 30 middle school teams from across Oklahoma will compete.
'This year's event has been expanded to 30 spots, up from previous years of 24,' Ward said. 'Muskogee's economy will benefit from teams spending the night in our great city. Local citizens of all ages can come out and watch as students use specific driving strategies with their alliances to win matches.'
Winners in certain categories move on to represent Oklahoma at VEX Robotics WORLD Champion in early May in Dallas. Ward said high school and middle school champions, finalists and winners of Excellence and Design awards qualify to advance.
Ward said Hilldale is bringing three high school teams and three middle school teams. She said teams form alliances with other schools' teams.
Students start working on their robots as early as August she said.
The young competitors keep tweaking their robots as the year goes on.
Hilldale sophomore Jordan Davis said he's changing normal wheels to traction wheels on his robot.
'It's to make it faster and more resilient to other players,' Jordan said.
This year's competition involves getting a wheeled robot to move blue and red plastic rings to corners. The robot also must put rings on a peg and move the peg to a corner. The robot also can put rings on stationary pegs around the field, or climb a tower in the middle of the field.
Other area teams competing include three teams from Claremore High, three from Tahlequah High, as well as teams from Verdigris, Oologah-Talala and Bartlesville.
Fort Gibson and Muskogee school robotics compete through a different program, FIRST Robotics.
