Assets High School hosted a special assembly to honor both of Assets School’s Robotics Teams at Damon Hall on Friday, January 20.
High School Principal Nikki Hamai Sakai led the honors.
U.S. Representative Ed Case presented Assets School’s Robotics Teams, Team Waffles, and Team MEAF, with two Special Congressional Certificates.
The team captains of each team stepped forward to accept the certificate on behalf of the team from U.S. Representative Ed Case.
Above: U.S. Representative Ed Case (center in Aloha shirt) presented Special Congressional Recognition Certificates to the Assets High School Robotics Teams for becoming the State Champions at Damon Hall on Friday, January 20.
Team Waffles will be moving on to the FIRST World Championship competition in Texas after winning first place at the FTC Hawaii State Championship on Saturday, Jan. 14. During the same competition, Team MEAF made it to the semi-finals and is also highly ranked.
U.S. Representative Ed Case visited the robotics room at the Young Building. He learned from Coach Peter Han about the teams’ achievements as they looked at the trophy case.
U.S. Representative Ed Case tried his hand at the robotics controller.
“Thanks so much for letting me try it out,” said U.S. Representative Ed Case. “I thought I was doing pretty well there for a first-timer. Then they kind of did it, and I went, ‘Oh, I’m not so good at all.’”
“I was surprised that our teams were being recognized by a congress member,” said Team Waffles Captain Emily Kurashima ‘25. “I was appreciative that U.S. Congressman Ed Case took the time to congratulate all our members' hard work throughout the season.”
"We are honored and humbled to receive this recognition from U.S. Representative Ed Case for our robotics team winning the State Championship," said Peter Han, Assets School teacher and robotics coach. "Our students have worked hard throughout the year and continue to impress me with their dedication, passion, and commitment to innovation."
Principal Sakai recognized the contributions of each robotics team member.
The team eats waffles like a family before each competition. The team that eats together wins together! At the end of the assembly, students were given a waffle to continue the celebrations.
Team Waffles from Assets School beat Team X-bots from Punahou School to win the FTC Hawaii State Championship. Both Team Waffles and Team X-bots will be representing Hawaii in the World Championship competition in Houston, Texas from April 19 through April 21, 2023. Last year, 51 countries competed.
The teams are led by Coach Peter Han and Coach Miles Yamamoto. Han and Yamamoto are longtime Assets High School teachers. Han teaches Calculus, College Algebra (Algebra III) and Computer Science. Yamamoto teaches Science, mainly Biology, Physics, Marine Biology.
Photo: U.S. Representative Ed Case gives the controller a try as Team Waffles watches at Damon Hall before the certificate presentations.