West vancouver Robotics Teams Achieve Semi-Finals at World Championship
DETROIT, MI - Robotics teams from West Vancouver Secondary School delivered a strong performance at the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship in Detroit, Michigan, reaching the semi-final rounds after a dominant run through qualifying and elimination matches. Teams 1010G and 1010W showcased remarkable engineering and teamwork, solidifying West Vancouver’s position as a competitive force in the global robotics arena.
The achievement marks years of dedication for students in the West Vancouver Secondary School robotics academy, an elective program open to students in Grades 9-12. Team 1010G member Edward Liu explained the team’s process: “The design using computer-aided design, after which we begin the build process and finally end with the programming.” Team 1010W, comprised of sean Chan-Sato and Kobe Sam, reported sweeping all ten qualification matches, winning every elimination match leading up to the World Championship semi-finals.
The FIRST Robotics Competition is renowned for its rigorous challenges and selective entry process. teams must first compete locally and then qualify at the B.C. provincial championship, either by winning or earning specific awards, to receive an invitation to the prestigious World Championship. This makes simply qualifying for the event a significant accomplishment.
The academy’s success is built on a mentorship model, where experienced students guide their peers, supported by three dedicated coaches: Andrew Kay (hardware), Mahesh Chougani (electronics), and Ben Hunter (day-to-day team operations). According to academy administrator Eberhart, “The teachers guide the students but do not provide direct solutions, and older students mentor younger ones.”
Students are selected for the program based on academic performance and demonstrated passion for robotics, rather than prior experience. The academy is held during school hours and provides elective credits.
