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Big Dippers Achieve Triple Crown in Robotics Competition

In a remarkable feat, the high school robotics team 'Big Dippers,' part of the STEAM education school 'FIVE by DOHSCHOOL,' operated by San-ei Co., achieved an impressive triple crown at the 'Japan V5RC HS National Regional Championship' held at Palatine Tama on January 31, 2026. This victory granted them the Excellence Award, Tournament Champions title, and the Robot Skills Champion award, securing their spot as Japan's representatives at the upcoming VEX Robotics World Championship for the second consecutive year.

Championship Details

• - Event Name: Japan V5RC HS National Regional Championship | Supported by KEIO
• - Date: January 31, 2026
• - Venue: Palatine Tama
• - Achievements:

- Excellence Award (Best Award)
- Tournament Champions (Champions of the Tournament)
- Robot Skills Champion (Champion of Skills Challenge)

Strategy and Execution: A Thrilling Finals

The Big Dippers dominated the preliminary rounds, concluding with a perfect win record, leading them to the elimination matches. Partnering with the ASIJ team in the finals, they progressed smoothly until facing a breathtaking final competition where two wins out of three determined the champion. After winning the first match, they narrowly lost the second by a single point, bringing the match to a 1-1 tie. In the decisive third match, the team executed a strategic overhaul just before going into battle, ultimately reclaiming victory and securing their championship.

The Excellence Award and the 300-Page Engineering Notebook

Winning the Excellence Award entails evaluating the overall completeness of a team's activities—not just the robot's capabilities. It considers design philosophies, problem identification, iterative processes, team management, and communication. The Big Dippers created an extensive engineering notebook exceeding 300 pages, outlining reasons for design changes, hypothesis testing, failures, improvements, programming updates, discussions, and outreach activities, providing a visual representation of their learning process. Such thorough documentation was a key factor in their award success.

Understanding the Robot Skills Challenge

The Robot Skills Challenge is an individual competition where teams compete for points within a set time. Scores are determined by combining scores from Driver Skills (controller operation) and Autonomous Coding Skills (autonomous control), testing various technical aspects such as design, programming, strategy, and driving technique. The Big Dippers excelled in this section as well, capturing the Robot Skills Champion title.

Team Composition and Female Representation in Robotics

This season, the team consisted of five members, three of whom are high school girls—an impressive feat in a typically male-dominated field. These female members took on crucial roles in design, programming, documentation, and public relations, redefining roles within the limited team size and redesigning their development and validation cycles, ultimately contributing to their triumph.

Upcoming World Championship

The Big Dippers are set to compete at the 'VEX Robotics World Championship' from April 21 to 24, 2026, in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Known to be one of the largest educational robotics competitions globally, last year's event attracted over 3,000 teams from more than 60 countries. The V5RC High School category alone will feature approximately 800 teams, raising the stakes for this major competition.

Team Member Insights

• - Haru Ichikawa (Team Leader & CAD Designer): "Hearing our names called for the Excellence Award brought back memories of our efforts and frustrations, making all our hard work feel worthwhile. This achievement is not the end—it's a new beginning, and I'm grateful to everyone who has supported us."

• - Tomonori Tsunashima (Robot Builder): "The key to our success was maintaining the mindset of improving our skills beyond yesterday. We focused on building a reliable and high-quality robot that minimized malfunctions, which ultimately led to our victory."

• - Chihiro Kobayashi (Programmer): "Our programming faced challenges before the finals, but valuable advice from mentors in the U.S. and Singapore helped us achieve a strong performance. I aim to refine my skills further for the World Championship."

• - Kaito Nakata (Driver & Technical Director): "I feel honored to participate as a driver, especially as we faced immense pressure during matches. Trusting in our team's dedication was crucial to our victory. I am committed to performing at my best at the World Championship."

• - Honoka Tsuchiya (Public Relations): "This competition reinforced the importance of our preparation and teamwork. Capturing team members’ faces and emotions during the event revealed the strong bonds of trust within our group. I look forward to sharing our journey further at the World Championship."

About VEX Robotics

The VEX Robotics Competition is more than a simple contest of robot performance; it emphasizes the educational process of thinking, learning, and growing. Students define their problems, design solutions, and iterate based on failures, all while documenting their journey. This holistic approach fosters skills such as problem-solving, communication, and decision-making within competitive environments. With sponsors like NASA and Google, the World Championship serves as a cornerstone of international STEM education, bringing together participants to learn from one another amid diverse backgrounds.

Support Request

As the Big Dippers aim for global success, they seek sponsorships to cover entry fees, travel expenses, accommodations, and robot enhancements for the World Championship. Given the economic challenges, support from businesses and individuals is crucial. Sponsors will receive benefits including exposure through uniforms, social media, and various media channels. To contribute, please inquire for more details.

About FIVE by DOHSCHOOL

FIVE by DOHSCHOOL, located in Setagaya, Tokyo, focuses on a learning process that prioritizes student-driven inquiry and experimentation. It offers various courses and encourages cross-disciplinary challenges while fostering creativity and critical thinking. As an educational model closely aligned with VEX Robotics' philosophy, their recent triple crown achievement reflects the culmination of their exploratory learning environment.

For more information, visit FIVE by DOHSCHOOL.