Robots rolled, lifted and battled as more than 160 students and coaches from nine schools converged at Mount Elizabeth Middle Secondary School (MEMSS) on April 14 for the Zone01 Regional Robotics competition.
“None of this is remote controlled,” said Tom Wilkinson, a Grade 3 teacher at Nechako Elementary and one of the event’s coaches. “It’s all done by coding, so it really has been a couple months of building followed by trial and error, hoping it works on the day.”
Hosted at MEMSS for the fifth time, this year’s event marked a high point with the largest turnout to date. Schools from across the region, including Nechako, Kildala, Haisla, St Anthony's, Skeena, Uplands, Mountainview and, for the first time, New Aiyansh, joined the event.
Competitors faced three distinct challenges designed to test both engineering and problem-solving skills. In the Gemstone challenge, open to the two age groups, robots had to navigate obstacle-filled areas to collect objects representing gemstones. The Rhinos from Nechako Elementary took top honours in the 10–12 category with 46 points. In the 13+ division, Evantron from MEMSS secured first place with 58 points, winning by a single point and earning the team a spot at the national robotics finals in Montreal this May.
The Sumo challenge, also open to the two age groups, required students to design autonomous robots that could detect, engage and push other robots out of a ring. Lebots from MEMSS took first place in the 13+ division with 104 points, while Bananabot claimed victory in the 10–12 category, also with 104 points.
A third challenge, the Pollinator, was new this year and open only to the 13+ age group. It required students to build robots capable of lifting and delivering “pollen cubes” to flowers of varying height using sensors and screw-drive systems. The Chromatins from MEMSS earned first place in the event with 89 points.
“Lots of tricky engineering and coding for this challenge,” Wilkinson said.
Students worked in teams of three or four, developing code and refining their robots through weeks of trial and error. “It’s a real team activity, working through the challenges and puzzle solving,” he said.
Wilkinson noted the steady growth of the event. “It’s a genuine, organic growth. Teachers talking to teachers and getting more schools involved. The kids like it because, I’d say, it’s a frustrating endeavour, but the success is a truly exciting moment that makes up for all the frustration when things don’t go the way they’re supposed to go.”
Zone01, the non-profit behind the competition, aims to engage students in STEM education through robotics. Its recent three-year partnership renewal with Rio Tinto BC Works has expanded access to robotics kits and training across Northern B.C., including Terrace, Kitimat and School District 91 Nechako Lakes.
“This fantastic collaboration brings robotics to schools... providing in-person and online training programs for teachers,” Zone01 stated. The renewed agreement ensures events like this continue through 2025, with a goal of reaching more students from remote and First Nations communities.
Second and third place finishes:
Gemstone 13+
– 2nd: The Chromatins, MEMSS
– 3rd: Lebots, MEMSS
Pollinator 13+
– 2nd: W.A.S.P.S. 2.0, MEMSS
– 3rd: Evantron, MEMSS
Gemstone 10–12
– 2nd: The Girls, Kildala Elementary
– 3rd: The Velvets, Kildala Elementary
Sumo 13+
– 2nd: The Scrappers
– 3rd: STA Code Builders
Sumo 10–12
– 2nd: Crashers
– 3rd: O.G. Cheetopuff
