Molokai Robotics Wins Valley Isle VEX Tournament

Molokai Robotics returned from the Valley Isle VEX Tournament on Maui with several awards in November. Contributed photo

Community Contributed. By Edwin Mendija

Molokai Robotics opened its 2025-2026 season with a decisive win at the Maui High School Valley Isle VEX Tournament, overcoming a major pre-event crisis to secure multiple top awards and end a six-year championship drought.

Just hours before the event, the team’s robots were delayed during interisland transport and failed to arrive with the team. The machines reached Maui only on the morning of the tournament, forcing an urgent scramble to assemble, calibrate and prepare them minutes before the opening match.

Competing in this year’s game, VEX Push Back, Molokai fielded three teams: high school groups 1037C and 1037X, and the new middle school team, 1037M. After 25 qualification matches, Team 1037C ranked second, 1037M placed third, and 1037X ranked sixth.

Molokai’s months of preparation proved critical. Fueled by late-night build sessions and intensive programming work, the students delivered a standout performance. Team 1037X captured the Tournament Championship, Robot Skills Championship, and Judges Award, while rookie team 1037M earned the Tournament Finalist Award. All three teams qualified for the 2026 VEX Hawaii Regional Championship.

The Judges Award recognized the program’s professionalism, teamwork, and well-rounded excellence — qualities that helped Molokai return to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2019.

Looking ahead, the team now prepares for a full season of travel, including the VEX Hawaii Regional Championship in February, the 2026 VEX Japan Cup in March, the 2026 FRC Las Vegas Regional in April, and — pending qualification — the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis. The team continues to fundraise for these efforts and will need to raise around $60,000-$90,000 more for the rest of the school year.

Molokai Robotics extends its mahalo to the Gary O. Galiher Foundation, Maui Economic Development Board, Leidos, Gene Haas, Argosy, and the many private donors whose support continues to make robotics opportunities possible for Molokai students.