HAWAI‘I ROBOTICS TEAMS QUALIFY FOR INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Rep Nakashima with Kohala High School FIRST Robotics Team

HONOLULU – Waialua High, McKinley High and Kealakehe High School robotics teams won this year’s FIRST in Hawai‘i Regional Robotics Competition, qualifying them to move on to the 2011 FIRST Robotics Championship at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, April 27-30. In all, six teams from Hawai‘i schools have secured spots in the international championship, ensuring the Aloha State will be well represented in the prestigious competition dubbed the “Super Bowl of Smarts.”

After an exciting weekend of competition, including 55 qualifying matches and a high-energy finals bracket match-up of the top 24 teams, six Hawai‘i teams battled for the championship title including a three-team alliance of Baldwin, Waiakea and Lahainaluna High Schools and an opposing alliance of Waialua, McKinley and Kealakehe High Schools. In a best two-of-three match, the Waialua, McKinley and Kealakehe alliance won in the third match.