Students from Jeff Davis and Beauvoir elementary schools have won the Vex Robotics Competition.

In the competition, which was held Nov. 15 at Bayou View Middle School, more than 20 teams designed and built robots from a Vex kit and then remotely controlled the robots through an obstacle course. The robots moved small wooden blocks down a 10-degree ramp and then hung from a bar 24 inches above the ramp. Because the robots could only be 15 inches by 15 inches X 15 inches, the competition tested teh team's creative problem solving skills.

"I'm thrilled for my students," said Kim Clemons, CREATE teacher at Jeff Davis and Beauvoir. "I'm happy that they competed together in the finals, and they did a great job of team work and cheering each other on. So well, in fact, that Beauvoir also won the spirit award."

Clemons also recognized district technician Chris Murray, who coached the Beauvoir team and served as a mentor weekday afternoons for both teams; and Jim Clemons coached Jeff Davis, which also won the competition last year.

"There were only three elementary schools among the 20 teams," Clemons said, "and the rest were all middle schools."

The competition is coordinated by Steve Phillips of DuPont Delisle and hosted by Team Fusion, the Gulfport High School robotics team.

To see nearly 60 photos from the competition, click here.