Zach Olkin started building robots just three years ago in the 4th grade when his mom launched a lego robotics club at Mackintosh Boulder. Just last week his Vex IQ Robotics team won a “triple crown” at the Vex Robotics competition – for teamwork, programming and robot design. His team will head to the first ever World Competition in Anaheim in May.
Robotics runs in Zach’s family with his brother also a member of an award-winning high school team (in the St. Vrain School District). Zach has also been competing on that high school team. Zach will be presenting at two FIRST Robotics Competition Regional Events for the Chairman’s Award (the highest award in FIRST). And on May 16, he’ll to go to the FIRST Lego League North American Invitational at Legoland in California.
Of the Vex win Zach says, “It feels really good to have won. We put a lot of effort into it.” The team met at least twice a week, two hours each time and three times before the competition.
“We had to practice driving, do the programming, it’s a lot to do.”
About the World Competition in April Zach says, “I’m looking forward to being there, competing with the best in the world and seeing the robots they’ve designed.” On the Vex website competitors can see scores for the robots they’ll be competing against but not pictures of the designs.
Zach says his favorite thing about robotics is being able to “design something, make it work and make a difference.”
We look forward to seeing what you and your team come up with next! Congratulations Zach! And good luck in your next round!
