By Jonathan Clark – BISP Head of Computer Science and Technology Integration

A school party of Year 7 to 9 BISP students recently travelled to Bangkok to participate in their first VEX IQ Robotics Tournament held at St. Andrews International School. This exciting event brought together students from all over the region to showcase their skills in robotics, engineering, computer science, technology and art. The BISP teams worked tirelessly in the weeks leading up to the tournament to test their problem-solving abilities to perfect their robots and prepare for the final competition.

The tournament not only tested the students’ abilities but also served as a valuable platform for them to enhance their Computer Science skills. The students programmed their robots to execute specific tasks and navigate around obstacles autonomously, honing their coding and programming expertise. These skills are becoming increasingly crucial in the modern digital age and will serve students well in the future.

The Year 9 Team “BISP Mantas,” with their robot, “Stinging Stingrays” included members Kunz, Ethan, Adam, and Daniel. The BISP Mantas demonstrated an impressive performance in their robotics competition, despite the fact that they had only been working on their robots for a single term. The Year 7 team “Phuket Parrots” with the Robot called “Squark” included members: Ellis, Bambi, Dani, Vanda, Tyr, Ryan, James, Bekhtev and Krit. The Phuket Parrots performed exceptionally well, with their robot narrowly missing out on making it to the final rounds by less than 0.25 of a point. This was a phenomenal achievement for the team, considering it was their first tournament experience. The success of the teams was testament to the hard work and dedication involved at all levels, including exemplary teamwork and the development of essential problem-solving skills. 

The tournament was not only about winning, it was also a great opportunity to learn and grow. The students were exposed to different cultures, different ways of thinking and new ways of problem-solving. They learned that teamwork is key to achieving a goal and that through determination, problem-solving, and perseverance, anything is possible.

The BISP teachers who run the robotics program at BISP and led the trip, Jonathan Clark, Johnny Man and Kate Tucker, were incredibly proud of the students’ performance and all agreed that it was an incredible experience for the students to enhance their STEAM talents (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics), skills which are highly sought after in the workplace. It was also a perfect opportunity to develop teamwork skills with students from other schools and to work together towards a common goal. 

The VEX IQ Robotics Tournament was a huge success for the BISP students and it was an experience they will never forget. They not only had the opportunity to showcase their problem-solving skills and compete against the best teams in the region, but they also had the opportunity to learn, grow and make lasting memories. This was an incredible achievement for the teams, considering it was their first tournament and it serves as a strong foundation to build on for the next tournament. We are excited to see the outstanding accomplishments our robotics students will achieve in the upcoming robotics tournaments!