The Emotional Journey of Conquering VEX Robotics 2025
Wearing the proud colors of SISS, the Talented Engineer Team embarked on a meaningful journey at the Regional Round of the VEX Robotics Vietnam National Championship 2025.
Rewinding to the start of the academic year 2024 – 2025, with prior preparations, the moment the members received the announcement of their inclusion in the Talented Engineer Team, they quickly dove into researching materials, reviewing competition rules, sketching designs, and conceptualizing their robot’s creation.
The Year 4 Jaguars’ robot was constructed from rectangular blocks and boasted agility and powerful propulsion, equipped with ball shooters, ball rollers, omnidirectional wheels, switches, a base frame, gears, chains, and other intricate components. In the early days of practicing at school, the students spent significant time assembling their robots from the tiniest details. This process was challenging, as they faced issues like broken metal rods, damaged motors, and gear malfunctions. Yet, they never gave up, continually resolving issues and refining their assembly and control techniques to deliver professional robot performances.
Building robots was not only a challenge for the Primary School Jaguars but also a “wall” that the Secondary School students had to overcome. “Many nights, we stayed up until 1 or 2 in the morning fixing programming errors, repairing robots, and practicing. We felt joy when we overcame challenges and felt disappointed when results fell short of expectations. We argued and got upset, but we also cheered, supported, and celebrated in our own ways. That journey, though exhausting, was one we truly cherished.” shared the Year 6 Jaguars. Though their VEX Robotics 2025 journey ended at the Regional Round, the School believes they achieved accomplishments far beyond the competition results.
One of these achievements is their growth in thinking and mindset. Reflecting on their 3 months of preparation, the Year 7 – 8 Jaguars shared, “The biggest challenge for us was balancing team participation while preparing for the End of Semester 1 exam in the New South Wales program and the MoET program. We longed to join the Christmas Festival and enjoy the Winter Break, but driven by our passion and determination, we willingly sacrificed our leisure time to ensure the team was ready to compete in Quy Nhon City.”
Participating in the competition with excitement mixed with anxiety and nervousness, the 12 team members gave their all, skillfully controlling their robots to complete the challenges set by the Organizing Committee. During the competition, they faced numerous difficulties; for instance, the Year 4 Jaguars had “minor disputes with other teams during the Alliance Round,” while the Year 7 – 8 Jaguars experienced their robot “unexpectedly falling from a height, leaving us panicked and worried.” However, they remained calm, collaborated to resolve problems, and quickly repaired their robot to deliver engaging and well-rounded performances.
Their journey was further enriched by the heartfelt support of their families, teachers, and especially Ms. Nguyen Thi Diep, a Science – Technology teacher, along with their teammates, who stood by them. On evenings when they stayed late to practice, they were energized with nourishing meals and loving words of encouragement. Reflecting on their journey, the Jaguars expressed their deepest gratitude to their families, teachers, and friends for always being by their side and helping them overcome challenges, worries, and fears.
Let’s continue cheering for the Year 4 and Year 7 – 8 Jaguars as they prepare to conquer the National Championship Finals of VEX Robotics 2025 in Hanoi at the end of February!
