PICTURES: Laois Secondary Schools take part in their first robotics competition

STEM has become an important part of the educational curriculum at all levels across Ireland.

Recently in Laois, the first Junior Cycle VEX IQ Robotics Competition took place in Mountrath, enabling student teams to take part in battles that tested their engineering skills, coding and teamwork collaboration.

VEX IQ is a STEM program hosted by Laois County Council’s Broadband Section under the Laois Rural Broadband Project with the intention of improving digitalisation skills, build a framework for STEM engagement and increase students’ uptake in STEM subjects that include design, science, coding and ICT skills.

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Participating schools create teams of students from 1st to 3rd year to take part and build a Hero Bot called ‘Swish’ from a VEX IQ kit. Students and their teachers learn about robot building and engineering, coding and improving their robot design throughout the process.

Teams from Laois’s secondary schools were put to the test on Wednesday January 22 in Mountrath Community School to play ‘Rapid Relay’, the competition game for the 2024/25 academic year all over the world.

Rapid Relay involves teamwork collaboration for one part, and individual team skills for two other parts. Points are scored as alliances work together in 60-seconds matches to score goals that knock back up to 4 goal-arm switches, plus they make and receive passes of the balls between robots.

The value of passes is determined on the number of goal-arm switches forced open during play. The game is fast with practice and strategising key factors to success for both teams during a competition day.

Additional skill strategies include individual teams’ own 60-second Driving Skills Challenge and Autonomous Skills Challenge: coding their robot with Python-based Scratch to perform Rapid Relay with pre-programmed instructions they write will dictate how to move, pick-up and score.

All of this is done inside any number of 8 feet by 6 feet arenas on location on the day, making for fun and fast-paced matches.

Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Councillor Padraig Fleming visited Mountrath Community School for the event. Addressing the crowd, he acknowledged that the competition is the first of its kind in Laois having been rolled out under the Just Transition Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan "Pathway for Transition" last October.

This is part of a €3.9 million investment project to boost economic growth in Laois and the Midlands.

Mr. Fleming said: "In addition to supporting economic development, this Midlands Pathway Plan places a heavy emphasis on education and future skills.

"There will be an expansion of award-winning regional STEM education programs, such as today's VEX Robotics program, currently delivered to all primary and secondary schools across the region. The program will also support investment in digitalisation and equipment for schools."

Laois is currently experiencing a shortage of skilled people in many areas that the Midlands Pathway Plan aims to fill by increasing student uptake and career progression in computer coding, design, engineering in many forms, ICT, the sciences and, of course, robotics.

Mr. Fleming acknowledged the hard work of students and teachers from the participating schools, Coláiste Íosagáin, Portarlington, Clonaslee College, St. Mary's CBS, Portlaoise, Dunamase College, Portlaoise and Mountrath Community School.

Cllr. Fleming also paid recognition to Antoinette Brennan, Laois Broadband Officer and to Seanie Morris, STEM Engagement for Laois County Council.

The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan "Pathway for Transition" is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027.

This Project is an initiative of the Local Authorities of the Midlands region, comprising Laois (lead partner), Longford, Offaly and Westmeath.

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