Hilo Viking Robotics Partners with Hawaii TechWorks

East Hawaii (EHCDC) is pleased to support Hilo High School’s Robotics Club

The East Hawaii Community Development Corporation is pleased to announce that Hilo Viking Robotics (HVR) and Hawaii TechWorks have partnered to support the technical and career education of students and community members in the areas of robotics, science, technology, entrepreneurship, and related activities.

Both HVR and Hawaii TechWorks recognize the profound need to strengthen these areas within our community and foresee powerful alignments given the similarity of vision between our organizations. To further our community development-focused goals, Matthew Pearring, President of HVR, has joined our Senior Advisory Board, which may be viewed here: http://easthawaii.org/who-we-are/.

About East Hawaii (EHCDC)

The East Hawaii Community Development Corporation (http://easthawaii.org), 501(c)(3), established by organization Chair and President Ernest Matsumura and headed by Executive Director Anthony Marzi, is a non-governmental, social enterprise organization working in East Hawaii and surrounding communities. The goals of East Hawaii (EHCDC) are to: coordinate with, as well as develop and expand upon, existing economic development activities through strategic project planning and outreach to build a vibrant community with quality economic activity; provide training and mentoring, as well as an expanded professional community, so a next generation of leaders can emerge; and, facilitate the development of strong community ties through informal networking and relationship-building, new job opportunities for local residents, and spurred community economic development. Hawaii TechWorks and Hawaii Food Hub are EHCDC programs that serve these goals.

About Hawaii TechWorks

Hawaii TechWorks is an open-access community workspace for enabling invention and innovation by providing the learning communities, the general public, and business communities of Hawaii Island access to computer design software, high-technology industrial design and fabrication equipment, mentoring and training services, and the business infrastructure needed to support entrepreneurial development in the community.

About Hilo Viking Robotics

Hilo Viking Robotics (http://www.hilovikingrobotics.com/) is a club at Hilo High School dedicated to providing students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the fields of science, engineering, and business. With those goals in mind, HVR competes in various robotics competitions throughout the year, including the VEX Robotics Competition and the FIRST Robotics Competition. HVR is a fully student-driven club that allows the students to take full control of the club’s actions and its future. Students immerse themselves in the fields of engineering, computer-science, and business when building their robots, working on documentation, or soliciting to businesses. HVR strives to promote robotics within their community by attending outreach events and organizing annual robotics youth camps called Camp Eureka.

In the past two years, HVR has continued to grow, as well as garnered several awards at various robotics events. In 2012, HVR was awarded the Judges Award at the Hawaii Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. HVR competed at the 2012 Maui VEX Tournament and won the Excellence Award. At the TMT Big Island VEX Tournament, HVR won Tournament Champion and Finalist. At the 2012 Big Island VEX League, HVR won the Best Programming Skills Award, Best Driver Skills Award, Tournament Finalists, and the Excellence Award. At the prestigious 2012 Pan Pacific VEX Championship, HVR was named Tournament Champion.