What it is all about
For the past 10 years, we at the World Robot Olympiad Switzerland (WRO) have been committed to giving children and young people access to robotics, technology and IT in a fun way. To this end, we organize courses and an exciting competition: the kids build and program a small robot, e.g. a LEGO robot, in teams, which rattles across the playing field on the day of the competition and collects as many points as possible.
The winners of the regional competitions make it to the Swiss final. And there’s really something going on here: The atmosphere on the day is great and the youngest participants, who are building a robot for the first time, are particularly enthusiastic. The teams with the fastest and best robots receive a ticket for the international competitions in Slovenia or Singapore, where they meet teams from over 80 countries.
Our competition fits in perfectly with the current curriculum, turning computer science into an experience for the pupils. The mathematics and technology behind it become real and visible. We don’t just impart specialist knowledge about STEM: as we are a team competition, the kids also learn what it takes to work well as a team.
We set up our program with the help of many volunteers: they plan and run the regional qualifying competitions – at 15 locations throughout Switzerland between Allschwil, Degersheim, Yverdon and Bellinzona. The volunteers set up the competition tables, answer questions from the teams and coaches, comfort, help, take pictures and act as referees. What unites us is our interest in robotics and technology, but also our desire to offer children a great experience.
That is special about us
We want to help ensure that children and young people have a positive image of STEM subjects and associate a good experience with them. Ideally, they will later pursue a career and/or a degree in this field – which is very valuable in view of the shortage of STEM specialists in Switzerland.
The tasks in the competitions always relate to a socially relevant or scientifically exciting topic: in the current season, the focus is on the future of robots, e.g. in space travel; depending on the age group, the teams use their robots to launch satellites into orbit, collect research samples during a mission to Mars or assemble a rocket.
Girls and young women are important to us: we have been offering them free materials, courses and an exchange platform for four years now, and participation by girls and young women has been increasing ever since.
Participation in our competitions is free of charge: in this way, we lower the entry barriers for children from less well-off families and make our offer as equal as possible in terms of opportunities.
For this, we need support:
We are organized as an association and all work as volunteers. In order to offer the Olympiad free of charge so that it is open to all young people, we mainly need funds for material costs for our competition as well as travel and catering costs.
So far, we have received support from the federal government, foundations and companies - for whose commitment we are very grateful. This is the first time that we have asked private individuals for donations. Because we are convinced that our mission - to support curious young people – will not only inspire institutions. But also you, as a person.
Your support helps us,
- that we can buy robot sets, which we lend to the teams on favorable terms. A set costs between 300 and 450 francs.
- that we can offer the roughly 300 young participants, coaches and volunteers a delicious lunch, drinks and snacks during their long day competing at the Swiss final.
- that we can pay our teams from French-speaking Switzerland or Ticino a contribution towards their travel costs to the Swiss final in German-speaking Switzerland.
- that we can reimburse our helpers, who give their best as volunteers during the events, for their expenses. This is a form of recognition for their voluntary work.
