Team A with their Tournament Champion Award.
By Shreya Prabhu
Staff Writer | The Pacific Times
NP3 High School’s Robotics team continued to grow through its participation in the 2024–2025 Vex Robotics competition.
This season’s game, High Stakes, consisted of several fast-paced matches during which robots pick up and score rings into mobile goals, climb a four-foot ladder, and try to get more points than opposing teams. NP3 Robotics split into five teams: A, B, C, D, and E.
This season, NP3 Robotics earned seven awards at different competitions, including the Create Award and Tournament Champion title at Winters on December 21. They also won the Amaze Award, Judges Award, and Design Award at Placer on November 3, a Design Award at Central Valley on December 7, and another Judges Award at Tracy on February 15. Team A made it to the State level competition, where they competed against 400+ other teams.
“States was a rollercoaster. Although we tried not to think about it too much, we felt a lot of pressure because we wanted to do well, and we also were the only ones there…A lot of laughs and good memories were made from States, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything,” said junior, Hillary Huynh of Team A.
Not only have memories been made, but bonds as well, by bringing students closer together and creating a unique sense of community.
Team C, the all girls team with their Judges Award.
Remy Ellenbogen from Team E explained, “I’ve learned a lot more about teamwork, how to communicate with other people, and team management. There are a lot of inside jokes and stuff you wouldn’t get unless you’re in Robotics. It’s a fun community, people are all there to have fun and learn at the end of the day, so we all get to know each other well.”
Kim Knestrick, the robotics coach, also noted the importance of teamwork and resiliency in robotics.
“I’m very proud and I love the energy of how everyone becomes more confident in themselves, because I don’t tell them what to do with their robots, they have to figure it out. And just seeing how they work with their teams,” Knestrick said. “These are all good skills that benefit them in college and in their careers.”
That sense of growth and teamwork is also deeply felt by the students themselves.
“The bond we’ve built over late-night troubleshooting sessions, endless laughter, and shared snacks has made robotics way more than just an extracurricular, but a core part of who I am and my high school experience,” said Huynh.
Monica Castillo from Team C recommends joining the Robotics team for everyone.
“Even if you’re not into science or anything, it’s a pretty cool experience because you get to choose whether you want to build, program, or drive the robot,” Castillo said.
Tryout dates for Robotics 2025-2026 will be held in the fall.
Robotics team group photo.
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