By Donal Connolly, Peter McGrath, Peter Hughes, and Stephen O’Gorman
The future of robotics took centre stage at Coláiste Choilm last Wednesday, as the school launched an exciting new chapter in the VEX Robotics competition. The team marked the start of their campaign with a bang, securing an impressive win in their first scrimmage at O'Brien Park. This year’s challenge tasks students with designing and building a robot that can pick up coloured hoops and place them in the corresponding stands. A team of Transition Year (TY) and fifth-year students is applying their creativity and problem-solving skills to tackle this exciting task.
The scrimmage saw fierce competition from schools across Ireland, including St. Macartans College Monaghan, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair of Donegal, Killina Presentation School, Ard Scoil Ciarán Clara, St. Brendan's Birr, Gallen Community School Ferbane, and Tullamore College. This event provided a valuable opportunity for Coláiste Choilm to see how they fared against future opponents and their victory in the scrimmage has also earned them the honor of hosting the first round of the competition later this year.
The VEX competition not only teaches technical skills but also fosters important life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Students are encouraged to think critically, collaborate effectively, and tackle challenges head-on. These experiences will serve them well in their future careers, whether in engineering, technology, or other fields.
During the event, we had the chance to interview two key figures who are helping drive the VEX initiative: Cllr. Ray Bell and Dean Hodge. TY student Peter McGrath conducted an interview with the two men.
Peter: What exactly is VEX?
Ray: VEX is a robotics program that runs in schools across Offaly and Ireland. There are versions for both primary and secondary schools. The goal is to get students excited about STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. VEX makes learning interactive and hands-on, combining theoretical knowledge with real-world problem-solving. Students apply what they learn in subjects like computer science and engineering to build and code robots. So, it is a way to get young people thinking about problem-solving and creativity and use technology creatively.
Peter: How does the competition work?
Ray: Competitions take place across Ireland. The Offaly competition is for local teams, and if you win there, you progress to the regional level. From there, you move on to the national finals in Cork. If you win at the national level, you earn the chance to represent Ireland at the World Championships in the United States, where over 30,000 students from around the world compete. It is an incredible experience!
Peter: How does this competition correlate to a future career in STEM?
Ray: There is a lot of engineering in it, obviously building robots but students can also get involved in design, engineering, coding, and even virtual and augmented reality. You can code using languages like Python and C++, or for younger students, simpler block-based coding, similar to Scratch. The skills you learn are applicable in many subjects, from engineering to maths to computer science.
Peter: What advice would you give to someone unsure about joining VEX?
Ray: I would say, go for it! VEX is not just for one type of person. Whether you enjoy designing, building robots, coding, or managing projects, there is a place for you. There are so many different roles within the team, and everyone has something unique to contribute.
Second Interview
Peter: Firstly, what does STEM stand for?
Dean: STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. But for us, it is really about developing digital skills. It is about preparing students for future jobs—many of which do not even exist yet.
Peter: What is your role in this program?
Dean: I am a STEM Engagement Officer. My job is to get local authorities involved in education, especially in areas like Offaly without a technological university. We are bringing programs like VEX Robotics into schools to help students develop crucial STEM skills and ensure they stay in the area to contribute to the local economy.
Peter: What part of this program do you enjoy the most?
Dean: Definitely the VEX Robotics, what we're doing here today. Within VEX, probably the engineering side of things. I’ve done a lot of model programs like the Lego League and the Microbits, where you do a bit of building, you do a bit of coding, but this is where the lads get to let loose a little bit, bust out the hacksaws and the angle grinders, and just do mad stuff all together. And they come up with brilliant robots like we see here. And you get robots that don’t work, but it's just a nice range of different things, and the lads and girls get to let loose and grow.
Peter: How did you get involved?
Dean: I have been involved in robotics for about 10 years, starting in TY. I have always been passionate about technology. After mentoring and working with MTU on competitions, I met a Ray at a meeting who said he’d love to bring VEX to Offaly and I have been involved ever since.
As Coláiste Choilm continues its journey in the VEX Robotics competition, the students are not only honing their technical skills but also developing critical life skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. With the first round of the competition set to take place at the school, the team is excited to display their talents. The future of robotics looks bright, and Coláiste Choilm is ready to take on the challenge ahead.