Woodinville High Underwater Robotics Team Prepares for Regional Meet

A year’s worth of work is finally culminating as Woodinville High School’s Team Hexagon puts the finishing touches on their remotely operated vehicle (ROV). On May 11, the team will travel to the Regional MATE ROV competition held in Federal Way at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, where they will compete against top teams from the Pacific Northwest to perform a variety of tasks underwater. These tasks are specifically designed to mirror authentic missions real ROVs undertake. The team must also function like an actual company, complete with marketing and outreach events. The ROV challenges in 2024 focus on protecting and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity and unlocking ocean-based solutions to climate change.

Woodinville High School’s ROV club has a rich history in both regional and international competition – last year’s team, Unicorns of the Sea, was only five points off from qualifying for internationals, and Woodinville competed in internationals in 2017 and 2018. This year, Internationals are being held in Kingsport, Tennessee, and all team members, new and returning, have high hopes for qualification.

The team not only boasts a strong ROV, but they have also put a lot of work into outside areas, particularly in educating about sustainability. Most of their ROV utilizes recycled materials in innovative ways, and they’ve mentored younger robotics teams at Timbercrest Middle School. Team Hexagon also attended and ran a booth at Innovation Lab High School’s annual Climate March at Bothell City Hall.

“The MATE ROV Competition is not just a test of engineering skills,” said captain and CEO Jadie Hwang (she/her). “We learn and apply so many different aspects of science, technology and math. We simulate being a company, which means entrepreneurial skills, marketing, and outreach with our community. We promote STEM education and day-to-day sustainability. I’ve been competing in MATE since 2022, and I’ve enjoyed every single second of it.”

Good luck to the Woodinville team on May 11 as they compete in regionals!

For more information about the MATE ROV competition, visit materovcompetition.org. 

Image credits: George Forsman, Jadie Hwang, and Ian Cramer.