Beckley, WV (WOAY) – If robotics and drones are your thing; then southern West Virginia is where you need to be this weekend.
West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) and Raleigh County Schools is hosting the first-ever international robotics tournament this weekend. Middle school, high school, and university teams will compete in WVU Tech’s Van Meter Gymnasium from Friday, February 7, through Sunday, February 9, 2025. All events are open to the public and admission is free.
Teams from across the two Virginias, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, Alabama, and even Ontario, Canada, will travel to Beckley for the event.
Woodrow Wilson High School teacher Jo Frost, who is also coordinator of the VEX competition had this to say: “We are so excited to host the first-ever international robotics tournament in southern West Virginia. On Friday, we’ll have some outstanding VEXU teams; on Saturday, teams from across West Virginia, including three from Raleigh County, will compete; and on Sunday, attendees will see some of the top drone teams in the world.”
As a part of the competition students are required to program their robots and drones to complete tasks, earning points for their teams. Winners will advance to compete for a spot at the World Championships in Dallas, Texas, in May.
Charan Litchfield, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at WVU Tech has this to say: “This is a fun experience, but behind it is a lesson in learning. Ultimately, we want to attract students to higher education.”
For more information, contact Dr. Charan Litchfield or Jo Frost at jmillerfrost@k12.wv.us. You can also visit the VEX Robotics Competition site for more details.
