Rebuilding a club, especially after a long period of inactivity, is never easy—something the VEX Robotics Team at St. Mary’s International School experienced firsthand. After remaining dormant due to COVID-19, the Seniors of the Class of 2024 took the initiative to revive the club by organizing workshops on building a robot. However, despite their efforts, the team was unable to construct a robot or participate in competitions, which would have provided valuable exposure for the school and hands-on learning opportunities for the members.
Despite these challenges, the team made significant progress in the following year, 2025, under new leadership led by student Peter Go. With renewed dedication, they refined their robot designs, improved teamwork, and strengthened their commitment to the club. On January 10, 2025, the VEX Robotics Team participated in their first-ever VEX tournament—Japan’s All-National Championship. VEX V5 games changes every year with different rules applied and which allows students to build creative that are efficient and fast for competitions. This year’s, 2024-205 season, game is High Stakes, which involves having to pick up the colored circles and to put it in its designated colored sides.
This year’s first competition, held at Kuramae Technical High School, featured notable schools such as Seisen International School, International School of the Sacred Heart, Yokohama International School, the American School in Japan, and several Japanese local schools.
Thanks to the collective efforts of the team, they reached the tournament finals. Although they ultimately fell short of victory, securing 2nd place out of 20 teams was still an impressive achievement. This accomplishment marked a milestone for St. Mary’s, allowing the team to bring home a finalist trophy especially since it is the first time the school has competed in an official VEX tournament. The trophy is now displayed in the trophy case near the High School office—a symbol of future success for VEX Robotics at St. Mary’s.
The team aimed even higher for their final competition of the year, held at Shinagawa Intercity Hall, with the goal of securing first place. However, they fell short in the tournament rankings, leading to their elimination. Nevertheless, they received the prestigious Judge’s Award. This experience provided valuable insights into areas for improvement as they prepared for the next season.
Unlike many other extracurricular activities, the VEX Robotics Team remains one of the most overlooked clubs at St. Mary’s, with limited awareness among students. To change this, the team hopes to secure additional funding through fundraising efforts at St. Mary’s upcoming school fair. Increased financial support and exposure would encourage more students to join and explore the exciting world of robotics.
