After competing in the state robotics championship on Oahu in March, the West Hawaii Explorations Academy Sharkbots participated in the 2015 FIRST Robotics Competition Championship in St. Louis last week. The students were the only team in their division to receive the Judges Award, which recognizes unique and inspiring efforts like the WHEA team’s use of a 3-D printer to create a prosthetic hand for a 3-year-old girl in Oahu.
More than 600 teams participated in four divisions throughout the week with their robots competing in the 2015 Recycle Rush to stack totes and other items in the competing arenas.
Speaking on behalf of the judges panel, Pageant Ferriabough said: “Their work will impact generations to come. FIRST is all about reaching out to the community far beyond just building robots. The WHEA prosthetic work in the Hawaiian community truly emulates what FIRST stands for in both inspring and supporting ways to improve the world we all live in.”
Liana White, WHEA Robotics Project adviser, said the team’s knowledge expanded during the event.
“We could have never made it without the help of our amazing sponsors both on island and in the state,” White said. “While I often encourage the team myself for their meaningful efforts, it’s an inspiring experience for our kids to be on a global stage with thousands of others recognizing our work from Hawaii. It was a delight to see the world of robotics recognize and honor the efforts our WHEA team, particularly for the humanitarian nature of our outreach program. “