Spotlighting Success: Hill, Canterbury Robotics Teams Head to VEX IQ World Championships

In a season full of grit, growth, and big dreams, two small-town New Hampshire elementary schools have proven that size is no barrier to success.

Jennie D. Blake Elementary School in Hill and Canterbury Elementary School are officially the first two public elementary schools in New Hampshire history to qualify for the VEX IQ World Championships, an international robotics event featuring the most talented young innovators from over 70 countries.

Their journey to Dallas began at the 2025 NH/VT VEX IQ State Championship in Manchester on March 9, where nearly 50 of the region’s strongest teams gathered to compete in this season’s fast-paced “Rapid Relay” challenge.

Competing for the first time together, the Hill and Canterbury teams — representing schools with just 65 to 90 students — rose above the odds, delivering the highest score in the final teamwork match. Their performance surprised both teams and the crowd and earned them a place on the global stage.

“It was really exciting to see the 43 points on the board and know that we have the chance to go to Worlds!” said Caleb White, sixth-grader on Team 3243C.

Jennie D. Blake Elementary qualified two teams, 3243C and 2434C, for the state 
championship. Team 3243C earned the coveted Teamwork Challenge Award alongside the Canterbury team, securing a “ticket” to the VEX IQ World Championship in Dallas. 

JDB coaches Jenn Flood and Pam Kelly couldn’t be prouder of their teams this year.

“The VEX program is such an amazing opportunity for young kids,” said Flood. “It 
teaches them problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and life skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. The amount of growth I’ve seen in these young students is inspiring. It was really cool when we saw the final score at the state championships and found out we are going to Worlds,” Bell shared. 

Meanwhile, Canterbury Elementary’s team, “Harry Botter and the Mechanical Stone,” came together midway through the season. Despite its late start, the team quickly built its skills and chemistry. Their collaborative spirit and fast learning curve helped them deliver a solid performance with JDB and secure their place on the world stage.

On Thursday, April 11, students from both JDB and Canterbury traveled to Concord to share their robotics journey with the New Hampshire State Board of Education. Speaking to state leaders, the students described how they learned to program, problem-solve, and work as a team, skills that helped them rise to the top and will continue to shape them far beyond the competition arena.

Their message was simple and powerful: “Teamwork made this dream work.” 

Through the VEX IQ Robotics program, students in grades 3–6 are introduced to real-world STEM principles — designing, building, and programming robots to take on season-specific engineering challenges. But even more valuable than the technical knowledge are the life skills they gain: critical thinking, collaboration, perseverance, and project management. 

VEX projects are wholly student-led, while coaches act as facilitators, not directors. 

Thanks to incredible school, family, and community support — along with a major boost from the New Hampshire Department of Education’s Robotics Grant — both teams have fully met their fundraising goals.

JDB received $9,000 from the NHDOE grant, which helped cover the lion’s share of the estimated $14,000 cost of the trip, while families and the community contributed the rest. Canterbury also met its goal through a combination of grant funding and generous local support. 

From after-school build sessions in rural classrooms to the biggest youth robotics stage in the world, the students of Hill and Canterbury have proven that big dreams can come from small places—and with heart, hard work, and a little help, anything is possible.