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Robotics

 

Designing, Building, Programming, and Driving Robots

 

At Hewitt, every student gets hands-on experience designing, building, programming, and driving robots. Beginning in lower school, students learn foundational programming skills using VEX 123 and VEX GO, two robotics platforms designed especially for young learners. In middle and high school, students continue to study robotics through their classes and also have the option to join Hewitt Robotics, our competitive VEX EDR and VEX IQ robotics programs. Through robotics, all Hewitt students learn a wide range of critical real-world skills including computer programming, problem solving, iteration, collaboration, and teamwork. 

 

Hewitt is the only girls’ school in New York City with a competitive VEX Robotics program. 

   

Highlights of Our Robotics Program
A student wears a tye dye mask and holds a cardboard robot she made herself
Lower School Robotics

During their Recycled Robots unit, first graders gain familiarity with tinkering and building prototypes from their own designs

A group of four students sit around a table programming VEX 123 robots
Lower School Robotics

After learning how to program VEX 123 robots, second graders use a variety of materials to create "coder monsters” that move, glow, and speak  

Two students stand together programming a VEX 123 robot and holding a coder
Lower School Robotics

Using VEX 123 coders, second graders learn how to program their robots to move about a field and navigate a specific path through a maze of obstacles

Two students sit on the floor with a robotics kit and manual
Lower School Robotics

Using VEX GO’s block-based programming language, third graders code robots to move around a field

Two students smile at the camera holding their VEX Go robot sculpture
Lower School Robotics

Fourth graders experiment with the components of the VEX GO robotics kits as they plan out designs and work collaboratively with their teammates

Three students sit on the carpet building a piece of robotics equipment
Middle School Robotics

Members of our middle school Hewitt Robotics team construct a drivetrain for the 2021-2022 VEX IQ Robotics Challenge

A group of students stand against a bright red wall holding up large blue awards banners
Middle School Robotics

Our middle school robotics teams took home four awards at the 2020 Southern NY VEX IQ State Championship

Two students stand in front of a robotics field driving their robot
Middle School Robotics

A middle school Hewitt Robotics team competes in a live remote tournament for the 2021-2022 VEX IQ Challenge, “Pitching In”

A student holds a controller and types on her laptop
Middle School Robotics

A middle school student uses VEXcode to program her VEX Robotics IQ competition robot

A student writes in a notebook
Upper School Robotics

A member of our upper school Hewitt Robotics team documents the design, construction, programming, and game strategy for her competition robot

A student stretches an orange rubberband around a metal wheel
Upper School Robotics

An upper schooler builds a flywheel using sketches from her engineering notebook 

Four students pose in front of their robot with a sign that says %2211442X Hewitt Robotics New York, NY, United States%22
Upper School Robotics

Hewitt Robotics Team X were runners-up at the 2022 CREATE US Open Robotics Championship

Four students pose in front of a wall that says %22Innovate Division%22 holding a VEX robotics trophy
Upper School Robotics

Hewitt Robotics Team X won the Innovate Division's Sportsmanship Award at the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship

Two students crouch over their robot on the floor
Upper School Robotics

Hewitt Robotics Team Y makes final tweaks to their robot at the 2022 Southern NY VEX Robotics State Championsip.

A group of students drive their robot across the playing field
Upper School Robotics

Hewitt Robotics Team X competes at the 2021 Worcester Polytechnic Institute VEX Signature Event

A group of students stand in front of a red brick wall wearing navy sweatshirts with the Hewitt Robotics %22H%22 logo
Upper School Robotics

Upper school Hewitt Robotics teams pose with their robots before competing at the 2021 Worcester Polytechnic Insittute VEX Signature Event

Hewitt Robotics teams have won awards and recognition at regional, state, national, and world championships.

Hewitt Robotics shield with a blue, orange, and white Hawk graphic

   

Hewitt Robotics Accolades

Since the program began in 2015, Hewitt Robotics teams have earned an impressive list of accolades, including:

VEX State Championships

  • 4 x NY VEX IQ Teamwork Challenge Winners (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020)
  • 2 x NY VEX IQ Excellence Award Winners (2018, 2020)
  • 2 x NY VEX IQ Robotics Skills Award Winners (2016, 2020)
  • 2 x NY VEX IQ Design Award Winners (2018, 2020)
  • 1 x NY VEX Teamwork Award Winner (2020)
  • 1 X NY VEX Think Award (2022)

VEX United States Open Championships

  • 1 x Tournament Finalists (2022)


VEX World Championships

  • 9 Invitations to the VEX World Championships 
  • Ranked 4th place out of 80 in the Technology Division (2018)
  • Ranked 19th overall out of 3000 teams (2017)
  • 1 X VEX Worlds Sportsmanship Award (2022)
Robotics News