My Clearwater
Clearwater Library-Sponsored Team Wins Florida
Robofest Competition
Despite the hardships brought on by the pandemic,
Clearwater’s Library-sponsored student robotics
team, also known as TEK (“Technology-Enabled
Knowledge”), won the Game Competition in
the first-ever Florida Virtual World Qualifying Robofest in
April.
The victory qualified the team, which consists of fifthgrader
Tyler Gombos and eighth-grader Samuel Gault,
to compete in the 2021 Robofest Online World
Championships held in August.
Robofest was founded in 1999 by Lawrence
Technological University Professor
of Computer Science, Dr. Chan-Jin
Chung to “(1) generate excitement and
interest among young people for Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEAM), Art and Computer Science; (2)
to develop problem-solving skills as well as
creative thinking, teamwork and communication skills;
and (3) to prepare them to excel in higher education and
technological careers.”
Robofest competitions are now held annually in nearly 30
countries around the world, with an international, annual
tournament held at Lawrence Tech in both junior (3rd-8th
grade) and senior (9th-12th grade) divisions.
12 MyClearwater
Main Library Senior Youth Librarian Crystal Mathews
guided Clearwater TEK, arranging and overseeing their
coding projects and planning, both virtually and at
Clearwater libraries since January. She also coordinated
activities on competition day, when Tyler and Samuel had
to code, within 30 minutes, two robots they built to work
in concert to complete an unfamiliar, assigned task in two
minutes.
Mathews was assisted by area homeschooling
families, including Andrew Maxey, who was a
judge, Christine Maxey, who videorecorded
the competition, and Katie Doughty, who
acted as a proctor. Local engineer Malay
Bhatt and Florida Robofest Liaison Emma
Alba aided in the process as well.
The Clearwater Public Library System has
been sponsoring Robofest teams and assisting
them with planning, practice and competition
since 2014. The Main Library’s second-floor Discovery
Studio is dedicated to assisting children and teens as they
explore the wonders of STEAM, including coding and
robotics.
Library staff members are proud of Tyler and Samuel for their
efforts to compete in the World Championships and with
how they represented the Clearwater Public Library System.