The figures reflect the popularity of educational robotics: 121 teams and about 350 young people will meet in Cáceres; Mexico will summon 80 teams from 24 states; El Salvador already has eight teams (21 students) qualified; and Guatemala strengthens its project with a recent national phase. All of this comes accompanied by open workshops and institutional support.
Spain: Cáceres hosts the national final
El Multipurpose Pavilion of Cáceres will host the national final of the World Robotics Olympiad on September 20 and 21, with 121 qualified teams from Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Andalusia, the Valencian Community, and Extremadura.
The organization is in charge of the Educabot Foundation and the Okola Association, in collaboration with the Cáceres City Council. Mayor Rafael Mateos emphasized the educational value of the project and its impact on young people, highlighting the promotion of creativity, teamwork, and hard work.
From Extremadura, 13 teams from the province of Cáceres will compete: 6 from Navalmoral de la Mata (Arcadroidex) and 7 from the capital (4 from Coconet Creative Minds and 3 from TecniStem)In total, approximately 350 young people between the ages of 6 and 22 are expected to participate.
Saturday will be dedicated to setting up and programming the robots, while on Sunday the teams will They will defend their proposals before the juryThe event will include activities open to the public and workshops on Sunday morning to bring robotics closer to the public.
Technological institutions and entities are supporting the event: Fundecyt, the Provincial Council (IT and Innovation Department), the Polytechnic School of Cáceres, and OKOLA itself. The focus was on the dissemination of science and innovation, gender equality in STEM and the promotion of new equipment from the Circular FAB innovation centers.
Mexico: Aguascalientes brings together 80 teams
Aguascalientes will host the national phase on the days 6 and September 7 at the San Marcos Island Convention Center, with 80 teams from 24 states and more than 240 members, after passing their respective regional qualifiers.
The proposed challenge requires designing, building and programming a robot. space exploration Able to identify objects, classify them, and move them accurately. Technical creativity, logic, collaboration, and problem-solving skills will be assessed.
The meeting has the support of the Aguascalientes Education Institute and the support of the State Institute of Science and Technology (Incytea)The teams that reach the top positions will seal their pass to the international final in Singapore.
El Salvador: eight teams with international tickets
The Cuscatleca British Academy hosted the national competition on August 30, where the following were defined: eight teams (21 students) to represent the country in Singapore. The event marked a record turnout, with more than 400 students from different parts of the country.
The winners cover categories such as Future Engineer, Future Innovators (Elementary, Junior, Senior), RoboSports and RoboMission, with the presence of centers such as the Cuscatleca British Academy, Highlands International School, the Maquilishuat Bilingual School, and teams from robotics academies such as Game Changer.
The judges valued both the results and the learning during the tests, reinforcing the objective of promote STEAM vocations and showcase Salvadoran talent on the international stage. This is the second consecutive edition of this national organization.
Guatemala: UVG and STEAM Group consolidate their project
The University of the Valley of Guatemala, together with STEAM Group, officially presented the national edition, with a tournament held on August 30 at the Central Campus (zone 15) to determine the teams that will seek their world spot.
The WRO in Guatemala promotes the participation of students from 8 to 19 years old in categories such as RoboMission, Future Engineers and Future InnovatorsThe country has increased its presence in the region and achieved outstanding results in the 2024 continental final, reinforcing its projection towards Singapore.
With agendas full of workshops, technical tests and support from public and private institutions, these national phases consolidate an educational community that promotes the logical thinking, creativity and teamworkIn the coming weeks, the Spanish and Mexican venues, along with the already-defined teams in El Salvador and Guatemala, will finalize the roster that will compete in the major world event.