Regional robotics competition highlights community, creativity at Powhatan High School

Jan 11, 2026 - 18:25

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Regional robotics competition highlights community, creativity at Powhatan High School

POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Hundreds of students, coaches and attendees from across Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland and West Virginia gathered at Powhatan High School to compete and cheer on participants at a regional robotics competition over the weekend.

The competition, held on Saturday, Jan. 10, and Sunday, Jan. 12, brought together 29 teams of middle and high school students who competed for a spot at the district championship in late February. The event is a qualifier for the FIRST Chesapeake FTC Championship.

Event director and coach Shari Robinson said after the qualifier, four teams will advance and have the opportunity to compete in the world championship.

"This is about excitement and celebration. These teams have been working since kick-off in September to conquer this challenge and put together the best robots, the best season, the best team that they could," she said. "This is their moment to celebrate what they've done."

(William Berksteiner/8News)

From judging to inspections to qualification rounds, Robinson said the teams worked hard to get to elimination matches and playoffs while also keeping their spirits high whenever they reconvened.

"This is very much like a family affair. We see each other year after year... and we're excited to see each other," Robinson said.

Over the weekend, teams were also divided into red and blue alliances in a rank point system, where they played together and against opponents.

Alliances would try to outscore each other without getting too many penalties on the field. As they score and win matches, they win rank points, Robinson said.

(William Berksteiner/8News)

Participant Kyla Williams with the Redox Robotix team from Cloverfield High School in Chesterfield County said the system allows her to meet people she wouldn't have met otherwise.

"Because we have alliances, so having random people [on the team] that I wouldn't know otherwise, while also being able to spend time with the people I do know, get close to them, learn more about them and become better friends," Williams said.

She added, "I enjoy seeing how other people have interpreted the different challenges and seeing the different creativity that goes into designing or building or modifications."

Teammate Noah Haskins echoed Williams' sentiments. Haskins said he enjoyed hands-on problem-solving at the competition and being able to work on and address crises with his team.

"It's about the people and the ability to come together and focus on the challenge, and be able to get through it and make something that we're proud of," Haskins said.

A robotics coach of 15 years, Robinson said it's not uncommon for teams to lend a helping hand when needed at the competition, even though they're playing against each other.

"We're not competing against people; we compete against problems. Here you will see teams that help each other out," she said. "It's very much a coopetition."