They themselves moved the cartel

Awarded twice

“Faster home!” – When the call sounds, similar thoughts revolve around a number of students. The rule of most Kaunas Jesuit Gymnasium robotics is not valid. On the ground floor, in the technology cabinet, they can be found on Monday, Friday nights and even on weekends.

« In the beginning, we thought that the school’s alarm starts at 10pm now we know that at 11pm, » Volunteering Overtime for Jacob Vasiliauskas – one pleasure, especially since this year at the 12th grade gymnasium is the last. Since September, when he learned the theme of the Robotics World Championship « First Tech Challenge », the workshop has been home to twelve more robotics: Jonas Zaleckas, Mykolas Platūkis, Aurea and Emilija Urniežaitė, Justė Krasauskaitė, Paradise Pauža, Ben Butkus, Titas Beliauskas, Titas Lanauskas, Gytis Lanauskas Mantvydas Vegys. More often than usual, IT teacher Virgilijus Saulius started to open the door of his office, but Albertas Juškauskas, a teacher of technology, art and robotics, who has recently made the promise not to climb the same gallery, and also changed his mind.

« When I see that children can, and most importantly, I can’t, I can’t otherwise, » the educator did not regret his choice.

His Litbot crew has successfully reached the US, Houston, where he returned with two solid awards this year. They became vice -champions in the World Cup Division Finals and won the Jemison Division Final award.

« When we were getting ready to get off the stage, we heard our team name a second time, » the team members couldn’t believe it after learning that the most important inspire award bronze was evaluated.

Teacher Albert also took time to understand what had happened. The championship competed in the 256 best teams in the world, ie about 100,000. participants. Thirteen Lithuanians with two teachers climbed to the Olympic Peak at the forefront. Third place in the Inspire Award category means that Kaunas Jesuit Gymnasium team is in the world’s strongest twelfth.

« Success? I don’t know. Maybe any of the above sent it to us? No doubt the team tried very hard, » the work, according to A. Juškauskas, paid off.

Application: After a successful show, students are preparing for next year. Photo by LITBOT command

When we were getting ready to get off the stage, we heard our team name a second time.

To the last minute

After using LEGO pads in previous years, this year, after moving to a higher league, the students made the robot from their own handmade details. They were printed with 3D printers and cut with laser machines. Part of the electronics sent from abroad. The metal connected to the wood with a full -fledged robot did not boil. A program needed a program to move and run all the teams zealously.

« There were a lot of attempts until we reached the end result, » Rapolas did not bother to bend their fingers when counting because they would simply not be enough.

The robot was improved all year round, from the idea of ​​the idea in September to the second day of the race in April. In the first part of the championship, where the robots compete and collect points to break into the final, the success for the LITBOT team was turning their backs. As the gymnasts’ robot moved outside, he lost the battery and later experienced a collision with another team device. With robots, this is the case – details can lead to extremes.

« Either everything or nothing, » the mantra and the detail donated by the Australian team members on the lips of the students were fatal to Kaunas residents. After gaining more power, the robot earned an advantage in the battles. Litbot won five victories in the robot’s qualifying rides, suffered as many defeats, and ranked 30th out of 64 teams of that division. In the playoffs, Kaunas players played both the first, the second and the third match of their alliance, won them all and entered the division final.

Focus on social activities

In the finals, the judges had to present their ideas, their dissemination, their social activities.

« The judges went to our tent six times. There are quite a few, » Emilia illustrated his pages after taking this year’s team magazine. One of them is a team, the other, with professional and life experience, volunteering mentors from prestigious foreign universities and Lithuanian educational institutions.

“It is important not only to construct and program the robot, but also to social activity. We went to various events, organized maybe five education in Kaunas primary schools, and we were at the opening of the Science Island. In addition, we shared knowledge with younger members of the Kaunas Jesuit Gymnasium community. We want them to continue this activity when we leave, ”the team, according to Emilia, was not limited to Lithuania.

« We are very happy because we received a nomination of the future of the year, » Jacob returned to January when the LRT Awards ceremony Litbot and Lituanica X were honored for the opportunity to represent Europe in America, refusing to compete with Russia and Solidarity with Ukraine. We will remind you that having created a very complex and unique robot to appear in the European Championship for two years, the young people said goodbye to their dream. After refusing to compete with Russian representatives, two Lithuanian teams were disqualified.

Glory: According to A. Juškauskas, the achievement of students is important not only to Kaunas but also to Lithuania as a whole. Photo by Edgar Cickiewicz

Hardening the challenges

According to A. Juškauskas, robotics is not just engineering, informatics, electronics. These are language, psychology, arts. Robots are far more than a vision of science fiction. Today, they are all our helpers in many areas of life: from medicine to housework. They are creating a new world whose boundaries are increasingly expanding. The First Tech Challenge does not fit into the frames. The organizers of the event encourage participants not only to compete, but also to cooperate more actively, to be friendly and empathetic.

« This is not our first journey. We have new experiences in each of them, » Emilia recalled a few situations that others might have disrupted, and here the team was focused and calm.

Albert, a teacher for transporting the robot to the US, made a special wooden box, a pupil’s device with foam and a lock on the lid. In case of suspicion, the airport protection cut it. The box itself, too, seems to have turned into a time.

« We had another problem at the airport – my last name was written with a mistake – not Beliauskas, but Bieliauskas. Fortunately, everything resolved, » Titus said that the extra letter in his last name is quite often, but there was no mistake at the time.

Miracles: In the hands of the students, the details become omnipotent of robots. Photo by Edgar Cickiewicz

Getting ready for next year

Students are convinced that the experiences gained in practice contribute to the broader approach, growing personality, and encourage the world and people. They have been in contact with some of their gymnasts for years.

« We thought we would meet Easter on the plane, but the Houston Lithuanian community did everything to keep this day memorable. We visited the Science Museum.

Is it possible to expect better when the cart is so high? The answer to the question, the students believe that you can only find out if you try again. That’s what they do. Although he returned in the US just a month ago, he is already thinking about the new school year and the 2026 World Cup.

« Not only are we thinking, but we are getting ready. The dispersion is already happening now! » – After writing Emilia, taking a photo with her and the whole team I suspected that my photo and colleague’s photo would appear in another publication prepared by the team, which traditionally goes to the championship every year.