Westfield Wins First High School Robotics Competition Of The Season

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Blue Devils not only hosted, but also won, their first Robotics competition of the season on Nov. 2.

Westfield High entered three teams into the pool of 21 organizations from Union, Essex and Hudson County schools. All three teams finished in the top 10 of the standings.

Mahie Panjwani, a junior at Westfield High and one of the Heads of Outreach for the team, said it's events like these that are "a fantastic opportunity to showcase our three teams, our school, and Westfield's growing STEM programs."

He added that every part of their competition preparation, from building robots, to coding, to 3D printing custom materials, is a true collaborative effort.

"Each member brings their own perspective, and there's a role for everyone to explore, contribute, and grow," Panjwani said. "Knowing that every person's work directly strengthens our robot and our team is what makes this program so special, and it's by far my favorite part."

Students designed and controlled robots that competed in events that involved launching balls into goals, with bonus points for replicating certain patterns.

The teams were also judged on parking competitions and other skills.

"We try to inspire others to explore robotics and see themselves in STEM," added Panjwani. "Ultimately, we want our work to show that innovation can thrive anywhere when students are given the space to experiment, collaborate, and lead."

Westfield Robotics competes next on Dec. 7 at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

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