Tommie Kunst Jr. High robotics team heading to 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The Tommie Kunst Junior High robotics team has punched its ticket to the middle school 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas later this month.

This will be the first appearance for the Tommie Kunst robotics program which only started in 2022 shared the Santa Maria-Bonita School District.

The team, pictured below, earned their spot after their performance at the state championship in March.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to support our coaches as they create empowering opportunities for our robotics students," beamed Pedro Garcia IV, a teacher on special assignment in technology and the District-wide robotics coach. "Although I just took the reins of this program, this season has been nothing but inspiring, as students have exemplified their ability to problem-solve and strive for new heights. Whether it's creating complex code to move, lift, launch, or turn their robots, or developing code to execute specific tasks during their 60-second "Rapid Relay" matches, our students have demonstrated their critical thinking and collaboration skills, and what it means to be effective communicators to succeed at any challenge. I am very proud of our students and their coaches!"

The world championship event at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center will run from May 6 through May 14 and the Tommie Kunst Team will be competing in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition for middle schoolers from May 12 through May 14.

For more information about the competition, visit here.