The 2012 U.S. National VEX Robotics Championship was one of the largest high school-middle school-elementary school robotics competitions worldwide. Held on March 15-17, 2012 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Omaha, the competition drew over 1,500 students, teachers and mentors.  The Elementary thru High School competitions helped to engage students in science and engineering.  The CREATE Foundation sponsored tournament has been growing each year.

COMMUNITY AWARDS

Partner of the Year: Jason Morrella, president of the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation

Mentor of the Year: David Guckenberger, team mentor and school board member at Silver Lake Intermediate School, Oconomowoc, Wisc.

Teacher of the Year: Rosemarie Cook Olson, Joslyn Elementary in OPS

Teacher of the Year: Stephen Williams, Mountain Crest High School in Hyrum, Utah

Volunteer of the Year: Mike Ferm, manager of site performance improvement for the Omaha Public Power District’s Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station

Volunteer of the Year: Allen Hatfield, Commercial maintenance for Council Bluffs Hy-Vee Supermarket No. 2

U.S. NATIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP — ALL GRADE LEVELS

Design Award: Millard West 1 from Millard West

Sportsmanship Award: Men of Steel from Omaha Skutt

Educate Award: St. Luke ElectroLions from St. Luke School in Temple City, Calif.

Energy Award: PiraTech’s Avengers from, Palm Bay High School in Melbourne, Fla.

U.S. NATIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP — HIGH SCHOOL

Amaze Award: Z-FENSE form St. Mary Central in Neenah, Wisc.

Build Award: Trinity Robotics of Trinity in Manchester, N.H.

Excellence Award: ECR 404A from El Camino Real in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Programming Skills Champion: Androids of the Round Table from Eastern Iowa Robotics in Cedar Rapids

Programming Skills Second Place: Trinity Robotics

Driver Skills Champion: Critical Mass of Berthoud in Berthoud, Colo.

Driver Skills Second Place: Trinity Cougars of Trinity Lutheran in Seymour, Ind.

Think Award: CHS2 Quoll of Crete in Crete, Neb.

Tournament Champion: ECR 404 of El Camino Real

Tournament Champion: ACME Permanently Temporary from The Potomac School in McLean, Va.

Tournament Champion: ECR 404C of El Camino Real

Tournament Finalist: ECR 404A of El Camino Real

Tournament Finalist: ACME-Tyrannasaurus Vex of The Potomac School

Tournament Finalist: Hazard of Papillion-La Vista

U.S. NATIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP — MIDDLE SCHOOL

Amaze Award: Incredible Vexables of McLean Area Young Engineers of McLean, Va.

Build Award: OPS Tiggers, King Science and Technology Magnet Center in OPS

Excellence Award: ACME-Chiquititas of The Potomac School

Programming Skills Champion: ACME-Chiquititas

Driver Skills Champion: Jackbots of St. Patrick School in the Elkhorn area

Think Award: Bot-E Builders of Cornerstone Robotics in Greenwood, Ind.

Tournament Champion: Wuzzy, St. Patrick in the Elkhorn area

Tournament Champion: Fuzzy of St. Patrick in the Elkhorn area

Tournament Champion: Young Guns of St. Patrick in the Elkhorn area

Tournament Finalist: Oak Park in Oak Park, Ill.

Tournament Finalist: Galveston Island Hoppers of Austin Middle School in Galveston, Texas

Tournament Finalist: second team of Galveston Island Hoppers

U.S. NATIONALS CHAMPIONSHIP — GRADE SCHOOL

Engineer Award: St. Luke ElectroLions

Tournament Finalist: Cougars of King Magnet Center in OPS

Tournament Finalist: The Belle Ryan Dogbulls of Belle Ryan Elementary in OPS

Tournament Champion: Boyd Blue of Boyd Elementary in OPS

Tournament Champion: Columbian Strikers of Columbian Elementary in OPS

Honor Award: Cougars of King Magnet Center in OPS