An IRI VEX Thank You

[John Wanninger]

I would like to offer a big Thank You to the folks at IRI who organized and ran a great IRI VEX tournament! Rufus Cochran, Scott Ray and Daniel Ward created a really FUN game that was absolutely a "smashing" success, inviting many styles of play and strategies for team members of ALL ages. (One thing I found most fascinating was how this particular challenge really invited alliances to adapt their strategies to take advantage of the capabilities and vulnerabilities of their partners and opponents, just like in FRC.) I'm sorry I can't list all of you by name, but those of you from/with Team Roboto 447, Ivy Tech State College and RoboEducators, and other unsung IRI help, I thank you all for taking the initiative (and risk), and putting in the effort to create and host the first ever public VEX tournament, and to do it so very well. You have helped to demonstrate the potential of VEX, and we can only hope this is just the beginning.

A special thanks and congratulations to Marci Cochran for her commitment that was recognized in her receiving the "VEX Respects Teachers" Award.

Judges Award winning Team2 “Omega” Anderson Middle Schools; you showed what you lacked in years, you more than made up for in tenacity.

Also, congratulations to the "never say die" Championship Alliance Team44"Contraptions"/Team234 CyberBlue VEX, and thanks to our great alliance partners, (Judges' Award winning)Team 716 TheWho'sCTEKs and to all the other fine teams we enjoyed meeting and doing "battle" with.