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Navigator Robotics Named Tournament Champions at VEX Robotics Competition at IPA

It was an amazing day on the ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY campus this past Saturday, September 29, as 26 high school robotics teams from around the State of Hawaiʻi converged to compete in the VEX Robotics Competition hosted by IPA.

Students prepare for robotics competition.
Robotics teams from around the state came to compete at IPA.

The IPA Navigator Robotics team, led by Coach Doug Blackington and mentors Maddie and Bob Cabuslay, was a gracious and accommodating host for the visiting teams. The well-organized, all-day event included a concession stand, team rooms, practice fields, and air-conditioning. IPA parents, students, faculty, staff, and alumni volunteers were on hand to help make the competition a successful event.

 

Students set up the robotic competition field.
The entire Navigator Robotics team was on hand to help with the many tasks required for hosting such a large competition.

Navigator Robotics had two teams in the competition, Team 4442X and Team 4442A, both of which competed well. Team 4442X, comprised of David Pavlicek (’20) and Brian Lu (’19), won the prestigious Judges Award for design, programming, and strategy. Team 4442A, with Nathan Okimoto (’22), Zaheer Gulko (’22), and Ryan Corpuz (’22), was named Tournament Champions, with their alliance partners, Team 2437A, from Sacred Hearts Academy.

With their showing in this competition, Navigator Robotics is guaranteed a spot in the Hawaiian Electric Company’s VRC State Robotics Championships in January. Congratulations Navigator Robotics!

 

David Pavlicek ('20) and Brian Lu ('19) – Team 4442X – with their robot
David Pavlicek (’20) and Brian Lu (’19) – Team 4442X – with their robot.
Zaheer Gulko ('22) and Nathan Okimoto ('22) make last minute adjustments to their robot.
Zaheer Gulko (’22) and Nathan Okimoto (’22) – Team 4442A with Ryan Corpuz (’22) – make last minute adjustments to their robot.
Robot
Navigator Robotics Team 4442A’s robot.
Student making adjustments to robot.
Zaheer Gulko (’22) makes sure their robot is ready to compete.
Students waiting for robotics competition to start.
Nathan Okimoto (’22) and Zaheer Gulko (’22) wait for their round to start.
VEX robotics awards
VEX Robotics Competition awards.