Aiglon Represents Switzerland at the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championships

For the third consecutive year, Aiglon College took its place among the world’s trailblazing young engineers at the VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. From 25-27 April, the ‘Innovate Division’ became a global hub for the top VEX IQ, V5, and VEX U teams, all vying for the title of world champion.

On the World Stage: Team 9231A

Representing both Aiglon and Switzerland, in the Middle School V5 Competition, Team 9231A arrived in the USA as the culmination of months of intense preparation. The team—comprising nine dedicated students and three staff members—invested over 500 total hours since December 2025 to fine-tune their machine. 

Leading the charge were ten Year 8 and Year 9 students: Jenny (Team Leader), with Rin and Sayo serving as the core engineers, Ruairidh at the controls as the driver, and Joseph managing the high-pressure environment of the pit crew. Supported by teammates Ela, Devon, Mary, Ihei, and Manako, who added much needed and appreciated technical and logistical support.

From a starting pool of 35,000 teams worldwide, fewer than 800 qualified for the Worlds. 'It was quite stressful being on such a big stage in front of so many people, I have never done that before” stated Jenny. “Nevertheless,  it was a really amazing experience to represent Switzerland and do that with my team members," she continued. 

They reached the knockout stage.

We are proud to have had such a strong team of girls actively engaged throughout the year in the robotics programme. Out of a team of ten students, there were seven girls who represented Aiglon at the VEX Worlds. This was one of the strongest gender mixed teams of the 35 nations represented. 

A Mission Beyond Medals

The opening ceremony set a high bar for the week, emphasising that robotics is about more than just hardware. Bob Mimlitch, co-founder and CTO of VEX Robotics, addressed the thousands of students with a reminder of why their work matters in the modern age:

"I'm here as a firm believer in the life-changing impact of learning through robotics... Our mission is to equip students with the key skills they need to solve the challenges of tomorrow. Skills like teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking—because those are the skills AI cannot replace."

This ethos of connection was echoed by the Master of Ceremonies, Tyler McCrary, who encouraged teams to look beyond the scoreboard. "With each new team you meet, you will find there is something you can learn from their perspective," he told the crowd. "Don't just trade stickers and wristbands, trade stories. Listen to your fellow competitors, share discoveries of your own, and above all, make connections."

The Precision of Competition

Aiglon’s Head of Robotics & Engineering, Jason Machin, emphasised that true learning happens in the organisation, problem solving, teamwork and collaboration that happens in the long season running from August-April, before you even get to the Worlds.

“The soft skills students pick up during hundreds of hours in the A.I.R. Lab equips them with the qualities necessary to truly excel at the world championships” Mr Machin noted. “When this preparation is done correctly, students create their own opportunities to qualify for the global stage” he concluded. 

One particular moment highlighted the razor-thin margins of top-tier robotics. Jenny recently navigated 1,300 lines of autonomous code, only to find the robot's positioning was off by a mere 3.9 cm. While she admitted the process can be “so annoying,” she highlighted the pride that comes with eventual success. “When you get it right, I feel so proud. You have to go back and test it over and over so it’s consistent. It feels like a fun hobby, even though I know I’m learning.”

Background: The Aiglon Robotics Trajectory

While the 2026 Championships provided the thrill, the foundation was laid in January 2024 when VEX Robotics was first introduced to Aiglon, by Albert (Year 12), the first driver of 9231A robot. The programme has grown exponentially, evolving from a classroom activity into a pillar of the school’s digital strategy. This was evidenced in 2025, when Aiglon’s two teams reached the playoff rounds—an impressive feat for a fledgling programme.

Darren Wise, Director of Technology and Digital Strategy, noted that this trajectory reflects Aiglon's broader commitment to future-ready skills, teaching students to navigate complex systems and collaborate under pressure.

“We don’t know what the future holds for our students, but we do know major disruption is coming to every industry, every community and every individual" he stated. "The pace of change will be staggering and we have to do all we can to help students build resilience, emotional intelligence and confidence. They will face unprecedented change in their lifetimes. One thing I know for sure is that the students in the VEX team have the skills, mindset and resilience to tackle whatever tomorrow's world asks of them" he concluded. 

The AIR Lab: A Hub for Innovation

Central to the team's success is the Applied Innovation and Robotics (AIR) Lab, inaugurated in August 2025. This transformational space provided the team with the literal and mental breathing room necessary for high-level exploration. Equipped with a comprehensive suite of equipment: 3D printers and an engineering lab, classroom and space for competitions, the lab allows students to simulate the unpredictable environments of tournaments.

For Sayo, the lab changed everything: “I like the atmosphere; before it felt really crowded, but here it’s so much more relaxing because you have space. It feels more free and I can try new things.” 

Looking Ahead

The journey to St. Louis was the pinnacle of the year's learning journey. By fostering a "play-based" yet rigorous curriculum, Aiglon is nurturing a generation of problem-solvers. Even as the excitement of the 2026 VEX Worlds fades, the work in the AIR Lab continues, with students already beginning the cycle of innovating, testing, and repeating for the 2027 season. The 2027 season is already here! 'Override' was just unveiled at the World Championships during the High School V5 closing ceremony. 

The competition was a steep learning curve, and the students rose to the challenge. "In my eyes this was the most challenging and also rewarding World Championships” stated Isla Campbell, Stewardship Officer. “The students were incredible and we are so proud of them. The lessons learnt from this competition will lay the foundation for what looks to be another great season in 2027- we can't wait to see what a new game, a new robot and a new approach to building, coding, refining and finally perfecting will bring. Well done team 9231A!” 

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AI Disclosure: Human-drafted original. Edits supported by AI. All quotes original.