TOWER CITY, N.D. (Maple Valley) – In the spring of 2024, the Maple Valley School District launched an exciting new initiative: the VEX Robotics program. To spark interest, the district hosted a three-week summer camp, introducing students to the fundamentals of robotics and inspiring curiosity. By August, Maple Valley registered three elementary teams, coached by IT Coordinator Derek Bear and Science Teacher Alex Hoffmann, to compete in this year’s VEX Robotics competition, Rapid Relay.
In Rapid Relay, teams earn points by collaborating to pass a ball between robots, shooting it through targets on a wall, and clearing switches within those targets. Maple Valley students embraced the challenge and quickly demonstrated their skills, securing three victories in their first three tournaments.
“Two of our teams have already qualified for the state tournament in Grand Forks on March 1st,” shared Coach Bear. “One of our teams is ranked in the top 600 globally out of nearly 10,000 teams and holds the number-one spot across a three-state region, including Minnesota and South Dakota. Impressively, all three Maple Valley teams are ranked in the top 10 in North Dakota.”
He said, this success hasn’t gone unnoticed. Maple Valley Robotics has been selected as a North Dakota K-12 Technology Showcase Winner and will present their achievements in STEAM education at the state capitol on Wednesday, March 5th. During the event, the teams will demonstrate their robots and engage with state leaders and stakeholders. The program has also received team t-shirts donated by a relative of the team and an anonymous $1,000 donation.
The next competition for Maple Valley Robotics unfolds in East Grand Forks on Saturday, January 25th. The teams are eager to continue their journey of innovation and excellence.
The full interview with Derek Bear and his students Christian and Joseph is available below.
