The VEX Robotics State Championship returned to ������Ƶ on February 21 and 22, bringing together 80 teams and 800 of Michigan’s top robotics students for a fast-paced, high-stakes competition that challenged their technical skills, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities.

“������Ƶ is proud to host the VEX Robotics State Championship because we know the students competing today are the engineers, coders, and industry leaders of tomorrow,” said Kim Shumaker, Director of Robotics Outreach & Robotics Center at ������Ƶ. “VEX students already think like Kettering students — they thrive on solving complex problems, working hands-on, and pushing their skills to the next level. That’s exactly what we do at Kettering.”

This premier robotics event was the culmination of a season of regional qualifiers, where top teams from across Michigan earned their place to compete for a chance to advance to the VEX World Championship. 

The VEX Robotics Competition challenged teams of high school students to design, build, and program robots to complete a specific game challenge. This year’s game, High Stakes, required teams to strategically maneuver their robots to score points by completing a series of technical and tactical objectives.

Teams competed in qualification matches Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, after which they were ranked based on their performance. The top-ranked teams then formed alliances and advanced to the elimination tournament, where they battled head-to-head in a bracket-style playoff leading to the championship match.

In addition to the main tournament, teams competed in the Skills Challenge, in which they attempted to score as many points as possible in driver-controlled and autonomous robot programming modes. Success in this event provided additional pathways to move on in competition. The following teams earned the ability to compete at the VEX World Championship this May in Texas:

• Team #39H “HNS” from Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills
• Team #244D “RoboDawgs: Detritus” from Grandville Community Education in Grandville
• Team #7760X “Airplane Mode” from Bloomfield Hills
• Team #39V “Volt” from Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills
• Team #248A “RoboDawgs: Starfall” from Grandville Robotics in Grandville
• Team #8626K “KACHIGGA” from Grand Rapids
• Team #36620A “Blue Crew” from Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville
• Team #39K “Rest in Pieces” from Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills
• Team #11591S “Siege” from Plainwell High School in Plainwell
• Team #3333W “Power of the Square” from Notre Dame Prep in Pontiac

Consumers Energy was the event’s title sponsor this year, reinforcing its commitment to investing in Michigan’s future STEM leaders.

“Consumers Energy knows our customers count on us every day for reliable energy, and we’re counting on the next generation of Michigan students to join us in our commitment to Michigan,” said Greg Salisbury, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric grid design. “We’re excited to partner with ������Ƶ for the VEX championship and to cheer on student teams who are showing off their work in the High Stakes competition.”

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) sponsored the Robot Safety Award. “A3 was honored to support the 2025 VEX Robotics State Championship at Kettering University. Youth robotics competitions play a crucial role in preparing students to become an integral part of the future workforce in Robotics, AI, Smart Manufacturing, and Automation. Through their schools, communities, and clubs, students collaborated as teams to design, build, test, and operate robots — developing essential skills that align with the needs of more than 1,300 A3 member companies worldwide,” Said Ritch Ramey, A3 Director of Education. “Beyond building robots, these students gained the ability to create intelligent systems that can see, feel, sense, and make autonomous decisions. These critical skills set them on a path to high-paying and rewarding careers in advanced technology fields. This competition was more than just an event; it was a launch pad for future innovators and industry leaders. I commend all participants for their dedication and hard work.”

Now, in the second year of a three-year hosting partnership, Kettering has continued to expand the impact of the championship. More than just a competition, the event introduced students to Kettering’s hands-on learning environment and industry-driven Co-op program, providing a direct connection between their passion for robotics and future career opportunities.

������Ƶ recently celebrated a remarkable milestone by hosting the 25th Annual Kettering Kickoff FIRST Robotics Competition, a significant event that brings together innovative high school students from across Michigan and neighboring states to compete. Sponsored by the Gene Haas Foundation, this year's kickoff attracted nearly 40  robotics teams eager to showcase their skills and creativity.

Since its inception in 1999, the Kettering Kickoff has evolved from a modest one-day gathering designed to help Michigan high school teams recruit members into a prominent competition in the FIRST Robotics community. Although the event went on a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has since flourished, reaffirming its vital role in fostering interest in robotics and engineering among high school students.

Kim Shumaker, director of the Robotics Center at ������Ƶ, emphasized the event's broader significance: “The Kettering Kickoff is more than just a robotics competition; it’s an opportunity for students to engage with the university, explore potential career paths, and build lasting relationships with peers and mentors.”

This year’s Kettering Kickoff featured an exciting two-day format that required teams to participate in qualification rounds and elimination matches. Over the course of the weekend, 37 teams competed in a total of 77 matches. The thrill of competition culminated each day with the crowning of a champion and the prestigious Top Dog Award. Saturday saw the alliance of 27 Team RUSH of Clarkston, 1506 Metal Muscle of Flint, and 1684 The Chimeras of Lapeer take home top honors. On Sunday, the alliance of 67 The HOT Team of Highland, 2834 Bionic Black Hawks of Bloomfield Hills, and 5460 Strike Zone of Lapeer bested the competition.

A notable highlight each day was the Bob Nichols Cornerstone Award presentation, honoring the former director of the Robotics Center and a pivotal figure in Kettering’s robotics history. Nichols was instrumental in establishing robotics scholarships and organizing the Kettering Kickoff since its inception. The two teams that won the award named after Nichols were the 1506 Metal Muscle of Flint and the 68 Truck Town Thunder of Ortonville.

The success of the Kettering Kickoff is largely attributed to the collaborative spirit within the robotics community. Volunteers, including local robotics teams and community members, played essential roles as referees and technical advisors. Each event served as a platform for connecting with students, providing them with opportunities to learn about ������Ƶ and its personalized educational approach.

“Students involved in robotics have an advantage over anything else; it’s so similar to what Kettering provides with the Co-op program,” said Clinton Bolinger, associate director of the Kettering Robotics Center, highlighting the practical experience students gain through hands-on work.

Bolinger also emphasized that the First Robotics program is a crucial entry point for students, allowing them to explore various aspects of engineering and technology. “We want them to come to Kettering because we believe they’ll be successful,” he said, underscoring how FIRST Robotics participants are already learning skills they will need as the next generation of STEM leaders.

������Ƶ will host hundreds of high school students and their families the last weekend in February 2024 for the Consumers Energy and ������Ƶ Michigan VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) High School State Championship.

Teams start setting up Friday, Feb. 23, in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center at ������Ƶ. The competition begins with opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, and concludes with an awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. 

“������Ƶ is proud to host and sponsor this event,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Center and Robotics Outreach Director. “These students are outpacing their peers as a result of their involvement with the VEX robotics program. They have already developed problem-solving, critical-thinking, strategy and engineering skills as a pre-college student. We’re thrilled for Kettering to play a part in championing these students to pursue their passion for robotics.”

This is the third year ������Ƶ has hosted the VEX State Championship and its second in collaboration with Consumers Energy as the title sponsor.

“Consumers Energy is thrilled to join ������Ƶ to promote and support robotics teams from across Michigan this weekend,” said Greg Salisbury, Consumers Energy’s Vice President of Electric Distribution Engineering. “The VEX championship is important because it extends a pathway to STEM learning that’s exciting and compelling, charging up bright futures for so many students who will go on to power our company and all of Michigan.”

Nearly 400 students from 80 teams will participate in this year’s competition, called Over Under.

In Over Under, the field has 60 triballs, two goals and two sets of elevation bars with a barrier. Triballs score points in goals (5 points) or offensive zones (2 points). Robots move freely, and triballs can only be taken from opponent goals when both alliance robots are on the same side of the barrier ("double zoned.")

Robots aim to climb for points, with the highest climber earning 20 points and points stairstepping down to 15, 10 and 5 points for second, third and fourth place, respectively. Alliances scoring the most in the autonomous period gain an extra 8 points and can earn an Autonomous Win Point through specific actions. The alliance with the most points wins.

The top 20 to 30 teams will advance to the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas.

Kettering organizes VEX competitions in partnership with the non-profit Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation, an educational foundation with a mission to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“This season's game challenge rewards the teams that best collaborate with their partners during a match,” said Dan Mantz, a 1991 Kettering alumnus and Chief Executive Officer of the REC Foundation. “The REC Foundation works to prepare our students for the workforce by not only teaching technical skills such as engineering, design and coding but also emphasizing communication, critical thinking and teamwork skills.” 

������Ƶ has hosted VEX camps and workshops since 2015 and boasts its own VEX U team that debuted in the World Championship in 2023. Scholarships are available for students who are active competitors or mentors of VEX or other competitive robotics organizations. Students can earn up to $5,000 yearly (up to $25,000 over five years) in renewable scholarships.

“The REC Foundation values our partnership with ������Ƶ since our missions are perfectly aligned to prepare our students to be leaders in technology and business development,” Mantz said. “When students in our programs visit ������Ƶ, they experience the innovative and leading-edge campus learning centers and labs firsthand and understand that the Kettering programs will build on what they have learned through the VEX Robotics competition. We want these students to know that Kettering will help prepare them for the next phase of their education and career.”

Dr. Patrick Atkinson

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High school students from the Great Lakes region met at ������Ƶ’s Robotics Community Center on Jan. 28 and 29 to compete in the Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation’s 2024 Aerial Drone Competition, Eclipse.

In the Eclipse mission, two drone teams work together as an alliance in 90-second matches. They collaborate to score points by clearing balls from chambers, moving them into goals, removing balls off of pillars and landing their drone. 

During the last 30 seconds of the match, the Eclipse begins. In this phase, teams must complete a complex five-phase flight maneuver called a “Total Eclipse” to earn additional points.

“The Aerial Drone Competition is one of the REC Foundation's fastest-growing programs. The number of teams has doubled since last year," said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Community Center and Robotics Outreach Director at ������Ƶ. “This program creates a new segment of students who develop programming, problem-solving, and communication skills as they complete autonomous challenges, communicate flight plans and train pilots.”

Although only high school students competed in Eclipse, a volunteer team of ������Ƶ students, alumni and a faculty member could be found in the arena and venue throughout the weekend. The volunteers completed a range of tasks to ensure the event ran smoothly.

Faculty member Dr. Patrick Atkinson faced a challenge of his own. Between each round of competition, he had 60 seconds to reset the field and ensure all obstacles complied with strict rules.

“I live and breathe all things mechanical engineering as well as Kettering, so it was awesome to actively help in the arena,” he said. “The collaborative energy of the event was infectious—some students even jumped in to help me reset the field a little faster.”

Atkinson ’91 found inspiration in the collaborative spirit of the teams of young drone operators.​

“Something amazing is rarely done by a single person; it requires a team of people who set aside their differences and rally around a central focus,” said Atkinson, a 25-year member of the Mechanical Engineering department. “That necessary teamwork was on full display every round of the Eclipse event.”

Susan LaFeldt, an academic advisor and success coach in the Academic Success Center, served as a que helper, ensuring every team was ready before each round.

“These competitions are all about working together,” she said. “The drone teams were comprised of two students from two different schools who had to work together to determine who would be the driver, the spotter/director and which obstacles they would complete in the arena. Communication was key, and many students rose to the occasion.”

������Ƶ will host regional aerial drone championships May 17-18 in the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center. For more information about Robotics at ������Ƶ, click here.

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������Ƶ will host two FIRST Robotics district competitions in March at the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center.

Forty FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) high school teams will compete in each of the FRC Kettering Districts 1 and 2, presented by Ford, March 2-4 and March 9-11. Opening ceremonies kick off the competitions at 10:30 a.m. March 3 and 9 a.m. March 10. Award ceremonies will take place at 5 p.m. March 4 and March 11.

“It is an absolute honor to partner with Ford, yet again, to make a positive impact on these talented students,” said Kim Shumaker, Robotics Center and Robotics Outreach Director.

������Ƶ began sponsoring FIRST Robotics high school teams in 1998. Ten teams currently work out of the University’s Robotics Community Center, completing their builds.

The University offered its first two scholarships to FIRST Robotics students in 1999 and has awarded more than $5.5 million since then. The Robotics Community Center opened in 2014. The University has hosted two district competitions each year since 2008.

This year’s challenge, called CHARGED UP, tasks teams with using their robots to bring game pieces back to their respective sides of the competition area. In the first 15 seconds of the match, robots operate autonomously. Drivers control the robots during the remaining two minutes and 15 seconds. Teams earn bonus points when their robots dock or engage with their charging stations. 

Teams have six weeks to design, build and prepare their industrial-sized robots to compete in a field game against robots from other teams. District events across Michigan occur over six weeks, with three to five events per week. 

Teams earn ranking points to determine who will move on to the FIRST Michigan State Championship in Saginaw in April. In addition, some awards automatically qualify a team for the FIRST Michigan State Championship.