Robotics teams from all over the island were grinding gears at the annual East Oahu VEX Championships, the kick-off event for the state.

Held on campus, the competition hosted more than 20 teams, including Sacred Hearts Academy’s Lancer Robotics. The teams came hand-in-remote with their robots and competed for the title of the “East Oahu VEX Robotics Tournament Champions.”

This year, Pearl City High School VEX Robotics Team were victorious, receiving a plethora of awards that included the Excellence Award, Robot Skills Champion and Design Award.

Robotics teacher Peter Park said that the event provided the team with a new perspective.

“Having seen excellent models during the competition, we were all able to see where we stood, compared to other teams,” Park said. “It gives us a lot of room for improvement.”

Park also added that the event was successful; volunteers from other schools helped the function to run smoothly. Teams were also reportedly satisfied with their campus workplaces, also known as “pits.”

“It was a very good experience, hosting the event here,” said Park.