Pearl City, Highlands Students Shine In Robotics Competition

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John Bayu-dan, Justine Horikawa and Sean Santiago of Highlands Intermediate prepare to take their turn at the challenge.

The first Hawaii State VEX Championship robotics competition took place in December, and Pearl City High School and Highlands Intermediate School represented the West region well, winning the HSC Design Award and the Hawaii Programming Skills Top Ranking, respectively.

The event attracted about 40 teams from across the state. To compete, teams had to build a robot that could place objects in designated zones.

The Highlands Intermediate team earned its distinction by constructing a robot that operates fully autonomously (pre-programmed only) for up to one minute. Pearl City High earned its accolade through its organized and professional approach to the design process.