FONTANA— Six Fontana Unified School District elementary and middle school students are preparing to showcase their teamwork, coding, and critical thinking skills on a world stage at the 2025 World Robot Olympiad Open Championships to be held in Panama this October.

Mango Elementary School’s Luis P. and Roman H., West Randall Elementary’s Joey Santana, and Wayne Ruble Middle School’s Flora F., Angel F., and Ivanna V. all qualified to represent Team USA Robotics and the United States Engineering League (USEL) at the World Robot Olympiad. They will compete in the challenge-based “RoboMission” category in the elementary and junior divisions, respectively.

The World Robot Olympiad, which will take place from October 19-21, is a global science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) competition for students ages 8 to 22, challenging participants to design, build, and program robots to solve real-world problems. Students will apply coding, math, and critical thinking skills as they program robots on the spot to navigate obstacle courses and move objects, fostering innovation, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

“Seeing Fontana Unified represented at a global competition on this scale is a tremendous honor, and it speaks to the caliber of talent we’re fostering throughout the District,” Superintendent Miki R. Inbody said. “This achievement highlights the impact of our investment in STEM education and the dedication of our educators who guide and inspire students every step of the way.”

To prepare for Panama, Fontana Unified students will take part in two weeks of intensive robotics training through the Team USA Robotics Training Academy this July. This year continues Fontana Unified’s legacy of success in robotics after two District teams competed at the 2023 World Robot Olympiad in Denmark.

Santana’s selection to Team USA serves as a significant milestone in West Randall Elementary’s first-ever robotics season. The sixth grader took first place at a regional USEL competition held in April, scoring nearly 60 more points than the second-place finisher to earn a direct invitation to Panama.

“I started coding in my free time in the third grade, and that made me want to go into robotics when I grow up,” Santana said. “I love solving problems and figuring things out, that’s what I like the most about the program.”

Two all-girl teams from West Randall qualified for the upcoming USEL National Championship in July and will compete for a chance to join their fellow Fontana Unified students in Panama.

“We are committed to providing opportunities that prepare our Bulldogs to compete and excel beyond our community,” West Randall first-year principal Dr. Yuliana Guerra said. “These students’ accomplishments exemplify how fostering curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork empower our students to reach extraordinary heights globally.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

FUSD_ROBOTICS1: West Randall Elementary School principal Dr. Yuliana Guerra and student Joey Santana celebrate Santana’s first-place performance at a regional USEL competition in April. Santana is one of six Fontana Unified students who have qualified for the 2025 World Robot Olympiad Open Championships in Panama.

FUSD_ROBOTICS2: From left: West Randall Elementary School Ariana Quiroz, Penelope Sanchez, and Janelly Quiroz plan for an upcoming robotics competition. Two all-girl teams from West Randall qualified for the upcoming USEL National Championship in July.

FUSD_ROBOTICS3: From left: West Randall Elementary School Amelia Rodriguez, Victoria Yanes, and Abby Lopez practice their coding fundamentals as a team for the upcoming USEL National Competition.