Students in the Milford Robotics Club are building something special, earning recognition from Cincinnati leaders and a spot at the VEX Robotics World Championship.
All four Milford Middle School robotics teams were recently invited to a commendation ceremony hosted by Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, where top-performing robotics programs from across the region were recognized for their accomplishments. The honor comes after a standout season that saw three of Milford’s four teams qualify for the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis.
For Milford students, the achievement is especially meaningful given the path they take to get there.
Unlike many programs, Milford students begin robotics in eighth grade and compete in VEX V5, a high school-level competition that requires advanced building, coding, and strategic thinking. Students enter with little to no experience and quickly find themselves competing against teams that have been developing those skills for years.
Despite that challenge, Milford students continue to rise to the occasion.
“We thought we could maybe qualify, but actually doing it proves we can compete,” said Evan J., an eighth grade member of one of the qualifying teams. “It’s a really good feeling, especially going into high school, knowing we can do well at the next level.”
VEX Robotics competitions combine team-based matches with individual skills challenges, where students must design, code, and operate robots both collaboratively and independently. Skills scores are ranked at both the state and global level and play a major role in qualifying for world competition.
For Evan, qualifying through skills rankings made the accomplishment even more meaningful.
“We qualified based on our skills scores,” he said. “It’s just your robot out there, so it really shows what you can do.”
While the technical skills are a major part of the experience, students say the impact goes far beyond the robot.
“It’s not just a fun little side project,” said Mae O., an eighth grade student and team member. “Once you get involved, you’re sucked into it. There’s so many different things you can do, and it gives everyone a chance to find something they’re good at.”
Students take on a variety of roles throughout the season, from building and programming to driving and documenting their work in engineering notebooks. Competitions require quick thinking, adaptability, and strong communication, especially as teams are paired with different alliance partners throughout the day.
“Every match is different,” Mae said. “It depends on your opponents, your alliance, everything. You have to adjust every single time.”
Now, after months of hard work, students are not only preparing for the highest level of competition, but also receiving recognition for their efforts.
“People don’t really know what we do,” she said. “So getting recognized like this, especially by the mayor, is just crazy to me.”
Students are eager to compete in St. Louis from April 25–27 and meet the best teams from around the world. Rather than feeling intimidated, they are excited for the opportunity.
“It’s all the best teams from all over the world,” Evan said. “You get to see that level and be inspired by it.”
98992A: Anonymous
Charlie B.
Brady H.
Carter M.
Mae O.
Hunter W.
98992B: Banana Bandits
Ezekiel C.
Wesley F.
Evan J.
Nicole L.
98992C: Complete Control
Lukas C.
Tommy H.
Nate H.
Luke O.
98992D: Donut Disturb
Matipa C.
Tobin H.
Savannah M.
Sienna M.
Lucy N.