Local youths make it to state robotics competition

Several years ago, two aerospace engineers who were intent on introducing young children to robotics, engineering and computer programming opened Rolling Robots — a place where youngsters can build and design robots and learn computer programming.

Today, local kids are aiming high at state competitions from their experience at Rolling Robots.

The Glendale shop in the historic Seely building hosts workshops and parties with a focus on video-game programming as well as robot building and design.

Shortly after Rolling Robots opened, Glendale mother Talia Puzantian visited the store with her son, Henry Atkinson, who was invited to a birthday party there.

Recently, Henry was invited to join the company’s elementary-aged team, called 7700G, made up of four boys in the fourth or fifth grades. The other team members are Donald Montenego, Alex Forman and Jasper Chen.

The team formed in September, and its members received the parts to build their robot the next month.

Initially, Puzantian said they appeared as underdogs in the competition, and no one thought they would qualify for the Southern California Vex IQ State Championship, which took place this past weekend in Pasadena. Team members found out they qualified in late January,

“They couldn’t believe it. They really worked hard, and that was what the difference was,” Puzantian said. “They were just single-minded about qualifying for state. It made them work really hard. That was what they wanted to achieve.”

At the qualifying contest, the team took home the “Excellence Award,” the highest honor in the tournament, given to those with all-around achievement and organization.

The team’s advancement to the state competition also brought Rolling Robots’ co-owner Bing Jiang to tears.

Jiang, who has donated funds to the Glendale Educational Foundation’s mission to expand robotics offerings in Glendale classrooms, opened Rolling Robots with her husband, George Kirkman.

In addition to the Glendale store, they operate two more located in West Los Angeles and Palos Verdes.

With a focus on engaging young students, one workshop available is “Bots for Tots,” for kids ages 4 to 6.

In all, Rolling Robots supports five robotics teams: one high school team, two middle school teams and two elementary teams. Out of the five, two are based in Glendale.

The middle school team based in Glendale, called 7700A, also became a tournament finalist in the state competition on Saturday. Those team members are Greg Karaoghlanian, Nathan Yun, Sam Guizak, Jack Fuetterer, Harp McDowell, Miles Straw and Evan Straw.

Although the 7700G team will not advance to the world competition, its robot performed well, collecting points by stacking blocks, Jiang said.

For Jiang, the students’ success is also about more than the competition, and when she’s guiding kids in building robots during workshops or birthday parties, she tries to instill in them that they can overcome challenges by working together and being persistent.

“What I’m trying to tell the kids, is, ‘You guys are all smart, [but] it’s more than your being smart. You need to be having that mindset… that you want to face a trouble and find a way to reach your goal,” she said. “I think that is really what I’m trying to do through competition or even just a birthday party.”