NT students to tackle international robotics championships after making history in Sydney

A team of Yolngu students are set to take on the world’s top robotics players at next year’s international championships. Find out how they qualified.

A group of robotics enthusiasts made history when they were the first NT delegation to compete at a national robotics championship this month.

The Dhupuma Barker School’s Djirikitj Firebirds have now qualified for the VEX Robotics World Championships in 2023.

The team came fourth at the VEX Robotics Australia National Championships 2022.

Cyrus, Richard, Sean, Justin, Andrew, Whitney, Jasmine, and Mikayla competed against 38 other groups to build and direct a robot through a series of challenges from December 3-4.

The team was led by Dhupuma Barker School teacher Lori Cross, as well as Janet Gurruwiwi, Cedric Marika, Lizzie Roe, and Murphy Yunupingu from Gunyangara.

The Djirikitj Firebirds were the first Yolngu delegation to compete at the national championships.

Dhupuma Barker School Justin and Whitney were excited to come fourth at the VEX Robotics Australia National Championships in Sydney. Picture: Supplied

Head of Barker College Sydney Phillip Heath said the team had a joyous and positive experience throughout the competition.

“They’ve had the most marvellous week exceeding our highest hopes, and our hopes were high,” he said.

“They’ve knocked them out of the park.”

Mr Heath said the competition was ranked against two criteria and he was incredibly proud of the team’s results.

The first category focused on the skill used to design and build the robots, and the Djirikitj Firebirds topped Australia in their elementary stage division.

The second category focused on matches against other teams’ robots.

The Dhupuma Barker School students started the two-day competition off in 10th place, escalated to sixth place, and completed the weekend’s events in fourth place.

“The heart-stoppingly wonderful result was that they qualified for the international championships in Dallas, Texas,” Mr Heath said.

The international competition will take place in May.

Dhupuma Barker School students Cyrus, Sean, and Richard pose with Star Wars characters at the VEX Robotics Australia National Championships. Picture: Supplied

Mr Heath said the students took the environment’s challenges in stride.

Competitors in the NT are usually “kind to each other” despite the rivalry, he said.

“In this version, that gracious professionalism was less clear to me,” Mr Heath said.

“In metropolitan Australia, there are teams that can be competitive to the point of aggressive.”

Mr Heath said the competition’s physical environment was noisy with contestant distractions and overstimulation, including the presence of Star Wars characters.

“The kids loved it, but it’s very distracting,” he said.

“It’s enough to throw anybody off their game.”

Dhupuma Barker School's Djirikitj Firebirds received a warm welcome when they returned to East Arnhem Land. Picture: Supplied

Mr Heath said two Indigenous schools in NSW also competed at the weekend’s championship competition but did not achieve the same results.

“The point being that living remote itself is not a disadvantage,” he said.

“High expectations are entirely appropriate, so long as you give them every opportunity.”

The Djirikitj Firebirds returned home to East Arnhem Land on Wednesday after their week in Sydney.

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Originally published as NT students to tackle international robotics championships after making history in Sydney