Building a 100-pound, $10,000 high-tech robot isn’t just a hobby — it’s a grueling test of grit. For three HTA Līhu‘e middle schoolers, it took five-hour daily practices, intense problem-solving under pressure, and the courage to walk into a workshop dominated by the island’s top high school talent.
When the middle school robotics season wrapped up in December, Erickson C, Canon J, and Bodhi J weren’t ready to power down. Seeking a bigger challenge, they stepped up to the big leagues, joining the Kaua‘i FIRST Robotics Competition team — an island-wide all-star collaboration of high school students.
The transition from middle school bots to high-stakes engineering was a big shift.
“It was a little hard at first to get integrated,” Canon says, noting that veteran members are often hesitant to place newcomers into high-stakes roles right away. “So my role was listening and learning, but by the end, I did end up doing more … with the engineering notebook, documentation, and building the robot.”
The learning curve required trading in the smaller middle school bots and learning to use heavy workshop machinery and complex electrical systems. Precise wire maintenance is critical to keep the robot operational under pressure, Erickson explains.
“In (the middle school competition), I learned about building,” he says. “But in (the high school competition), I learned a lot about wiring.”
The team competed in a game called Rebuilt, where the robot’s main objective is to scoop up foam balls and launch them into a hub 6.5 feet off the ground.
In April, the Kaua‘i team traveled to Denver to compete in a regional tournament featuring 56 teams from across the nation. Travel logistics required a feat of engineering before the competition even began: The team had to design a high-powered robot that could be completely disassembled into sections that were within the 100-pound limit of air travel.
Once on the field, their strategy was just as creative. While other teams played standard offense, the Kaua‘i team used a unique snowblower mechanism that swept balls to their side of the field to feed their alliance partners. This unconventional approach stunned the competition, earning the team the prestigious Creativity Award and a fifth-place finish overall.
For our young Līhu‘e engineers, the experience has solidified big dreams, with their sights already set on future careers in mechanical engineering or at NASA.
Their advice to other students contemplating a high-stakes challenge? Don’t back down.
“Might be intimidating at first,” Erickson says. “Don’t be intimidated, listen and learn. Soon you’ll be doing it … just come with a good attitude.”
WATCH KAUAIBOTS PLAY IN DENVER — check out Team 2465 with the red bumper.
