SamoTech rises to first in the robotics SOcal championships in one short year

SaMo’s robotics team, also known as “SaMoTech,” went undefeated in each of their 19 matches, winning first place at all four league meets and at an inter-league tournament. These wins allowed for the students to move onto the SoCal Regional Championship, where they fell just short of qualifying for the World Championships. 

Last year, students from different local Los Angeles middle and high schools created a robotics team that has a total of six Samo students, and three students from the schools Archer, Lincoln Middle School and University High School. It is mainly student-led, with practices taking place twice a week. All that is needed to join the team is an interest and knowledge in engineering and robotics. The team started off with a few students who were passionate about robotics and engineering, and later became known for winning regionals at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Tech Competition and are currently ranked first in Southern California. The students built a robot named Sam, who is able to move around and perform different tasks such as picking up cones and placing them on low, medium and high poles. Member Georgia Rowe (’26) shares how she feels about her time on the team,

“I have enjoyed this year so much,” Rowe said. “Our team has spent so much time on our robot, so I am really proud of our success this year, despite not having many resources.”

SaMoTech plans on continuing to enter local competitions and expand as a club. The students have created a tight community where they are able to explore many different fields of STEM and make friends with similar interests.

“We just finished our first season as a team and I am so proud of how much we’ve achieved,” Rowe said. “We almost made it to the World Championships and I am excited to see what we can do next year.” 

If you are a student who has a passion for math and science, and would be interested in pursuing a career in stem or even not, consider giving SamoTech a try since they have rose to the top in California in one short school year, and also created a safe space to be yourself and pursue your interests.