Puerto Rico has bigger delegation for 2024 Robotics World Championship
Another significant achievement is the addition of girls to the competition and the national delegation
Puerto Rico is sending more girls, more teams and younger competitors to the VEX Robotics World Championship 2024 from April 25-May 3 in Dallas, according to Pedro Alvarado, executive director of the Caribbean Robotics Academy (CRA).
Alvarado noted that this year’s competition has drawn more elementary and middle school students, allowing Puerto Rico to qualify in the VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC) for those age groups, opening the competition to students from fourth grade and up.
The official delegation includes 64 members across 10 teams that excelled in their categories during Puerto Rico’s competition, which started in September and concluded with the finals from Feb. 17-19 in Ponce. These teams represent seven institutions in the towns of Arecibo, Bayamón, Caguas, Guaynabo, Salinas, San Juan and Vega Baja.
“It’s an honor to share the significant achievements of our delegation over the past year,” Alvarado said. “We’ve experienced notable growth in team participation in various categories. We’ve expanded our presence in the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) and VEX IQ Robotics Competition.”
The nonprofit CRA has been the official coordinator of these competitions in Puerto Rico since last year.
“In the past, we had three middle school teams and three high school teams in VRC, plus one college team in the delegation,” Alvarado said. “This year, we have taken a step forward by qualifying one elementary level team and another middle school team in VIQRC, plus three middle school VRC teams, three high school VRC teams, and two college teams. This expansion shows the positive impact of our commitment to robotics education and STEM skills development in Puerto Rico.”
Another significant achievement is that more girls are participating in the competition and the national delegation, as historically, females have been underrepresented in science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM).
“I’m excited to share a statistic that reflects our focus on diversity and inclusion,” said Kelianet Roque, CRA operations director. “We have experienced a significant increase in female participation in our delegation. From a modest 8% in 2023, we have raised the representation of women to 23.4%, with 15 girls. This achievement is a testament to our focus on promoting gender equity and creating opportunities for all curious and passionate minds in robotics in Puerto Rico. Together, we’re building a more inclusive and brighter future for our community.”
She also encouraged the general community and businesses to support the “dreams and development” of the delegation by helping to cover the costs of transportation, equipment and materials costs.
The registration fees amounted to $18,000, and the cost for travel, lodging and meals for the delegation is expected to exceed $100,000.
“They dedicate themselves body and soul to these competitions; it’s a delight to watch them. We can do no less than support them with whatever we can. No donation is small,” she added.
