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The Harvey School robotics program sent three robotics teams to compete at the VEX Robotics World Championships April 21-24 at America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Missouri. This championship is the largest and most prestigious high school robotics competition in the world. The Harvey students qualified to attend after receiving major awards at the Southern New York State Championship held in March, and earned their place to compete against nearly 1,000 of the top teams from across the globe. The Harvey students represented their school with distinction, both in performance and in character.

Representing Harvey:

• Team 6277A – Henry He ‘26
• Team 6277B – Wyatt Bland ‘26, Luca Nishimura ‘26, Sullivan Wieting ‘27, Jack Zimmerman ‘27
• Team 6277C – Ryan Dey ‘26, Jacob Harkins ‘26 (unable to attend), Talya Langer ‘26,, Neel Mistri ‘27, Sara Strnad ‘26

Two of Harvey’s teams earned major international recognition. Team 6277B was awarded the Build Award, which honors the robot the judges believe best embodies excellence in robot construction, durability, and craftsmanship. Team 6277C received the Think Award, recognizing a team’s advanced programming, autonomous performance, and engineering documentation.

“These awards reflect the heart of what we teach,” said co-coach John Wahlers. “From the foundational skills students begin developing in Robotics 1, through their continued growth in design, construction, and coding, this is exactly what we hope to see," Coach Wahlers said. "I couldn’t be more proud of the work these students have put in and the level they’ve reached,” he added.

“I am incredibly proud of these teams,” said head coach Chris Kelly. “They not only demonstrated technical skill in all aspects of robotics, but also showed incredible resilience, composure, and a genuine respect for the spirit of the event," Coach Kelly said. "This event is defined by intensity and high expectations, and our students consistently stood out for their sportsmanship, collaboration, and the way they supported both teammates and competitors alike," Coach Kelly said. "The teams truly embodied the values of our program. They represented Harvey in the best possible way,” he said.

For Coach Kelly, the recognition also represents something larger — a sustained commitment to excellence. “With these results, our program has now earned a total of nine World Championship awards over the past four years,” he noted. “That’s a significant accomplishment for any program, and it speaks to the dedication of our students and the strength of the culture they’ve built together.” 

Coach Kelly added, “While the awards are a meaningful achievement, what stood out most was that our students carried themselves with humility, curiosity, and a deep respect for the whole community of  competitors. It is an incredible privilege to work with them,” he said.

This year’s performance at VEX Worlds marks another proud chapter in Harvey robotics.