On Thursday January 4, 2007 six Philadelphia schools competed in the Philadelphia FIRST Vex Robotics Competition hosted and sponsored by Drexel University’s College of Engineering. Philadelphia Military Academy and George Washington High School were grand prizewinners, earning the right to compete in the PA FIRST Vex Challenge Championship Tournament to be held in Weatherly, PA on March 10, 2007.  The teams also won an array of Vex mechanical, electronic, and software accessories.  Both of these teams showed excellence in teamwork, design, spirit, and on field play in a game where robots had to deposit different size plastic balls in goals and then fight for position on a center platform.

Other schools attending were: University City High School, Overbrook High School, Lamberton Middle School, and the Roberto Clemente School.  All four of these runner-up teams were awarded additional Vex mechanical or electronic accessories and were also judged on teamwork, design, spirit, and on field play.

This event also marked a milestone for FIRST Philadelphia.  Never before have area students been asked to design and build a functioning robot, and compete in a competition in the same day.  All six teams of teachers and students created their inventions using the Vex Robotics Design System and were assisted by Drexel University Engineering students throughout the day. 

The day was facilitated by FIRST Philadelphia representatives and the School District of Philadelphia’s Secondary Robotics Initiative.  All Vex equipment received by the school teams was provided by Drexel’s College of Engineering.