Twin Branch Elementary wins robotics state championship

MISHAWAKA, Ind. (WNDU) — Mishawaka’s Twin Branch Elementary School just won a state championship, but it’s not in soccer, baseball, or basketball.

A group of 5th and 6th graders just won the Indiana Robotics championship. Now, they’re off to try to win a national championship in Houston, Texas.

Like clockwork, the team called “The Sunny Delights” works together to design, program, and build a course made almost entirely of Lego parts.

A robot then completes various missions within around two and a half minutes. The robot isn’t controlled by a remote, but rather, it’s programmed by the students to perform the tasks.

“I also really liked when we had to overcome something,” said team member Elsie Gaskill. “I think it would always help with our core values because we would have to work together with teamwork and make sure everyone was included. Everyone had a say.”

Teamwork is key for a project this complex; it’s what head coach Lauren Gaskill says helps each team member grow.

“You know, they come in, and they don’t really know any idea what the program is or what the expectations are,” said coach Gaskill. “This is a completely rookie team; none of them have ever done this. For me, it’s seeing the personal growth in them, not just that they can build a robot, but they are kinder people who are thinking about who they want to be and what kind of impact they want to have in a broader world.”

The Sunny Delights are currently trying to raise $20,000 for their team to head to the World FIRST Championship in Houston. You can find their GoFundMe here.

They’ve raised about $500 so far.

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