Tommie Kunst Junior High School team members Anthony Rodriguez Val, Nate Trevino, and Bernadette Bolusan stand proudly with their robot. (Courtesy photo)
Tommie Kunst Junior High team members are Anthony Rodriguez Val, Nate Trevino, and Bernadette Bolusan. (Courtesy photo)

A team from the Santa Maria-Bonita School District is headed to the middle school robotics world championship for the first time.

A Tommie Kunst Junior High School robotics team has been invited to participate in the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship, May 12-14 in Dallas, Texas.

The Tommie Kunst team members earned their place in the world’s competition through their top performance in March at the state championship.

Team members include Anthony Rodriguez Val, Nate Trevino, and Bernadette Bolusan.

The SMBSD robotics program is three years old, having started in 2022. 

Pedro Garcia IV, teacher on special assignment in technology and robotics coach for the district, said he is proud of how far SMBSD’s robotics team program has come in just a few years.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to support our coaches as they create empowering opportunities for our robotics students,” Garcia said. “Although I just took the reins of this program, this season has been nothing but inspiring, as students have exemplified their ability to problem-solve and strive for new heights.

“Whether it’s creating complex code to move, lift, launch, or turn their robots, or developing code to execute specific tasks during their 60-second Rapid Relay matches, our students have demonstrated their critical thinking and collaboration skills, and what it means to be effective communicators to succeed at any challenge.

“I am very proud of our students and their coaches.” he said.