Robots clash at Bellingham VEX competition

February 13, 2023 at 1:01 p.m.

Freshman Alden Bachmeier tests the shooting distance Feb. 8 while writing the code for the autonomous challenge at Bellingham High School. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Sehome student Grant Gusukuma uses a Dremel to cut a steel chassis while rebuilding his team's robot Feb. 6 during robotics class at Sehome High School. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Junior Matthew MacGregor, right, screws a piece to the underside of his team's robot Feb. 6 while junior Thomas Ricks watches during robotics class at Sehome High School. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Bellingham junior Calla Young and sophomore Katie Knies try to solve a coding issue with their robot Feb. 8 during robotics class at Bellingham High School. "It's a good combination of frustrating and fun," Young said. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Bellingham students compete in an alliance during the elimination bracket of the VEX Robotics Competition on Feb. 11. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Students from Bellingham, Lake Stevens and Sehome high schools react to the expansion of the robots during the Round of 16 at the VEX Robotics Competition on Feb. 11. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Sam Goldsberry carries his team's robot at the VEX Robotics Competition Feb. 11 at Bellingham High School. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Exothermic Creation 10C members Ann Li, Tony Wu, Robert Ren, Ray Zhao and Jerry Wang won the VEX Robotics Competition Feb. 11 at Bellingham High School. The Redmond team broke the world record for the skills competition. **(Trenton Almgren-Davis/Cascadia Daily News)**

Fifty-three teams of students from around Washington state gathered at Bellingham High School Saturday, Feb. 11, to compete in the VEX Robotics Competition. The competition, presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, a middle and high school robotics program, involves matches between robots constructed, designed and coded by students.