Students of all ages from Hamilton Heights (top) and Our Lady of Grace in Noblesville (bottom) competed this past weekend at the TechPoint Foundation for Youth state robotics championship. (Photos courtesy Mick Hetman / HetmanDesign.com)
The largest robotics state championship in the country took place on Saturday, March 12 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, presented by TechPoint Foundation for Youth (TPF4Y), powered by Group 1001 and hosted by the City of Indianapolis. This is the fourth time the event has been held at the venue, bringing 274 Indiana elementary, middle, and high school teams together to compete amongst their peers. More than 7,500 people were in attendance for the event.
Locally, teams from Hamilton Heights and Our Lady of Grace in Noblesville competed. Click here to see a full list of results.
TPF4Y welcomed special guests Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner to help kickstart the event, both who gave inspirational and encouraging speeches during the opening ceremony. Additional special guests included IndyVRC founder and former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, who presented the Ballard Teamwork Challenge Awards, and representatives from TPF4Y’s major sponsoring companies and organizations, Group 1001, Roche Diagnostics, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, and the Herbert Simon Family Foundation.
Photos courtesy Mick Hetman / HetmanDesign.com
Students exuded passion, focus, collaboration, and sportsmanship all while demonstrating the utmost respect for one another and for every volunteer that helped make the day happen.
“The students of these robotics teams will become next generation of STEM leaders in Indiana and beyond,” said TPF4Y President and CEO George Giltner. “By providing a STEM pathway through competitive robotics from elementary all the way to high school, we are building the workforce pipeline of tomorrow.”
Since 2016, the State Robotics Initiative grant program has helped launch over 2,100 Indiana robotics teams and impacted over 24,000 students. TPF4Y’s 2022-23 grants are now open and the TPF4Y Robot Team plans to award eligible elementary, middle, and high schools beginning in April.
Click here to learn about TPF4Y robotics opportunities.
TPF4Y recognized seniors in robotics on a special Robotics Senior Wall of Fame. Two of those seniors were Caleb Hurley (left) and Jenn Houser (right). Both seniors are part of the Heights High School Robotics Team “Acros” (Team 1075A). Hurley, who has been involved in robotics for five years, plans to study Agriculture Systems Management at Purdue University. With six years of robotics under her belt, Houser plans to study Biochemistry and Kinesiology at Hanover College. (Photos provided)