Ola High School Robotics Team Wins Georgia VEX State Tournament, Qualifies for Nationals

 

HENRY COUNTY, GA – Ola High School’s Gremlin (5203G) robotics team was named Tournament Champion at the Georgia VEX V5 Robotics Competition High School State Championship in February.

The team partnered with Newton College and Career Academy’s Team 8682N during the Alliance round to secure the 2025 state championship.

Team 5203G Gremlin also earned the coveted Excellence Award at the state championship for the second consecutive year. VEX’s highest honor goes to a well-rounded VEX robotics team that exemplifies a high-quality competitive robotics program, further qualifying them for the VEX World Championship in Dallas, Texas, in May.

“The team’s State Championship victory is a testament to the power of hands-on learning,” said Director of STEM Innovative Practice Dr. Rabieh J. Hafza. “Through VEX Robotics, these students have brought STEM concepts to life, applying their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math in a dynamic and engaging way. This experience, along with the communication and collaboration skills they’ve developed, will undoubtedly benefit them in their future endeavors, regardless of the path they choose.”

OHS hosted the State Championship and was among the 50 top high school robotics teams across Georgia to compete this year. Each team earned a spot after qualifying from the VEX Skills list or winning the Excellence Award, Design Award, or Tournament Championship at a local event.

OHS seniors Jayla Brown, Sebastian Cedeno, Conner Middlebrooks, Makenzie Middlebrooks, Dustin Pouliot, and Carson Schmitt represented Team 5203G. Conner Middlebrooks, Pouliot, and Schmitt are among the students who founded Ola Elementary School’s VEX IQ robotics team in 2014.

“I started robotics in fourth grade because playing with robots looked like fun,” Conner Middlebrooks said. “It grew into a passion, and now I will attend Georgia Tech in fall 2025 as a mechanical engineering major.”

Schmitt will make his 10th appearance at the World Championships, Conner Middlebrooks and Pouliot will compete for the eighth and seventh time, respectively, and Brown and Makenzie Middlebrooks will make their fifth appearances.

 

 

“We are always striving to make the robot the best it can be to play the game,” Schmitt said. “This year, we set out to achieve the game task of a Tier 3 hanging robot. The engineering and design behind this mechanism took two months, but we did it and were one of the first teams in the world to do so.”

Along with a growing list of accolades, Team 5203G, considered a team to watch on the world stage, continues to build on its reputation, earning praise from industry experts and admiration from robotics enthusiasts everywhere.

“We get questions all the time through our social media platforms. We were mentored by great teams, and we only hope to do the same,” said Makenzie Middlebrooks

The team’s Gremlin robot competed at multiple Signature-level events, including the Minnesota Signature Event, Haunted at Sloss Furnaces in Alabama, and the Kalahari Classic in Ohio, bringing home numerous awards.

They were the only team from Georgia and among only a few from the East Coast to compete in the recent Rumble in the Rockies Signature Event in Utah, which showcased teams from the United States and Canada.

 

“Ola High School’s robotics team continues to make their school and district proud,” said Superintendent Dr. John Pace III. “These students are excellent examples of what can be accomplished through teamwork, diligence, and a commitment to the exceptional in everything they do. We are proud of their achievements and excited to see them represent our district at the highest levels of competition.”

“We are continually amazed by this team’s talent and dedication and all they have accomplished in competition and in inspiring their peers,” added Board Chair Sophe Pope (Dist. 4). “Their collaborative style, commitment to innovation, and willingness to share ideas and mentor other students set them apart, resulting in well-deserved honors and recognition.”

Team 5203G’s accomplishments are helping to foster greater interest in robotics and STEM in schools across the district, bolstering the Board of Education’s vision to position Henry County Schools as a leader in STEM education in the region. The team’s accomplishments also helped generate momentum for the district’s first-ever middle and elementary school VEX robotics competition in February.

 

In addition to creating opportunities for all students to engage in STEM learning, the board is committed to strategically pursuing initiatives and partnerships that will support the district’s STEM high school set to open in Stockbridge in 2027.

“I'm incredibly proud of Henry County Schools’ work to expand access to VEX Robotics programs across all grade levels.” Dr. Hafza added. “The success of Ola High School’s robotics program, led by dedicated Engineering Teacher Dr. Christie Schmitt, has been instrumental in sparking these districtwide discussions and inspiring greater student participation in STEM.”

Dr. Schmitt is also the school’s Technology Student Association and Vex Robotics Advisor and has won numerous awards, including the Inspiration All-Star Award for outstanding contributions to STEM and robotics education in the Southeast United States. She was also inducted into the Robotics Education Competition Foundation’s STEM Hall of Fame last year.

The annual VEX Robotics World Championship is the largest robotics competition, where the world’s best robotics competitors converge, hoping to be crowned the ultimate champion.

Team 5203G will make its fourth consecutive appearance, which also marks the last time this exceptional group of seniors will represent OHS and the district as VEX Championship contenders.

The ALPLA Group (McDonough) has generously sponsored the OHS robotics team over the past three years, significantly facilitating its growth and success.