End-Tech, a robotics team from Endon High School in Staffordshire, was crowned winners of their regional contest. They’ve now earned themselves a place in the UK National Final of the First Lego League! The team, consisting of five members, including James, Malachi, and Owen, faced tough competition from various groups, notably one from Bradford. Their win is significant for the second-straight year End-Tech has won at this level. This victory reflects the increasing depth of their knowledge in the field of robotics.
The yearlong, regional competition challenged teams to work together to build and code an autonomous robot that could perform a series of tasks and maneuver through numerous challenges. End-Tech spent many hours working to innovate and refine their robot way after school ended. The team heavily relied on complex coding and unique design features to help them excel and stand out from the competition.
“We’ve swapped to a new coding software that uses Python so it’s much more accurate than it used to be,” Malachi stated, highlighting the technical advancements that contributed to their success. The robot’s design included colour sensors, which Owen said had improved its overall usability from earlier iterations. “We’ve got a whole different robot with colour sensors this time, that makes it a bit easier to use,” he explained.
Back at the contest, End-Tech introduced their robot to the judging panel. They scored not by doing everything right, but by meeting the most difficult challenges thrown their way. Communicating effectively was a central aspect of their overall score, and one that heavily impacted their score. The presentation itself illuminated their technical know-how and verbal dexterity for us.
Malachi noted that this year’s competition was amazing. “The contest this time was tighter due to teams being better this year,” he remarked. This recognition of increased competition is a testament to the increasing interest and talent in robotics from schools across the Rocky Mountain region.
End-Tech will now go on to represent Staffordshire at the national tournament in Harrogate later this year. Their achievement is a testament to the work and heart they have put into their communities. It doesn’t just stop there, it serves as an inspiration to other young aspiring engineers and coders in their community.