Chinese-American Robotics Team Dominates VEX IQ Southern California State Championship, Heads to Worlds

Meet the Team from left: Eric Lu, Steven Rong, Molly Fang, Kris Wang, Jasmine Guo

CHATSWORTH, CA （March 2, 2025）— The 3988H GoGo BoBa robotics team, made up of five Chinese-American students, delivered a standout performance at the VEX IQ Southern California State Championship, sweeping three major awards: Teamwork Champion, Robot Skills Champion, and the Think Award. Not only did they dominate the competition, but they also set a new national record in the Skills Challenges, earning their spot at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, this May.

Team 3988H GoGo BoBa competing in Southern California State Championship Finals

What is the VEX Robotics World Championship?

The VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) is recognized as the largest robotics competition in the world by Guinness World Record, run by the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation. Often called the “Olympics of Robotics,” it draws over 30,000 teams from more than 50 countries and prepares students to become future innovators, with 95% of participants reporting an increased interest in STEM subject areas and pursuing STEM-related careers.

From Beginners to a Championship Team

The Experienced Leaders: Kris Wang & Molly Fang

Sisters Kris Wang and Molly Fang are no strangers to the VEX IQ stage. In 2023, they made an impressive World Championship debut, ranking 2nd in their division and taking home the Amaze Award. The following year, they returned stronger, winning the Teamwork Champion and Excellence Award at the Southern California State Championship and finishing 3rd in the world for Skills.

This year, as Kris starts in the more advanced VEX VRC competition, she stays in the team as the team lead, mentoring her teammates while still competing. Meanwhile, Molly has taken on the role of lead driver while contributing to robot design, coding, and engineering notebook documentation.

The Coding Expert: Eric Lu

A three-year VEX veteran, Eric Lu has already won Teamwork Champion and Amaze Award at the Southern California Championship and competed at Worlds last season, finishing in the top 10 in the world for Skills. Now part of GoGo BoBa, he serves as both a primary driver and lead programmer, ensuring their robot performs at its peak at all times.

The Rising Stars: Steven Rong & Jasmine Guo

Both Steven Rong and Jasmine Guo joined VEX IQ competition just last year and made an impressive underdog run to qualify for States. This season, Steven has become the team’s primary loader and honed his skills in consistent loading, while Jasmine wears multiple hats as a backup driver, strategy planner, and engineering notebook editor.

From Regional Contenders to State Champions

Team preparing for the Fun in the Sun Signature Event in Orlando, Florida

GoGo BoBa has been on a winning streak, sweeping all seven regional competitions they attended with different drivers setup, leading up to the California State Championship. They dominated both the Teamwork Challenges and Skills Challenges, often placing at the top of the leaderboard.

In December, they traveled to Orlando, Florida, for the Fun in the Sun VEX IQ Signature Event, where they shattered the national Skills Challenge record with a score of 680 points – cementing their reputation as one of the strongest teams in the country.

From a Team to a Family

Team heading for a movie night

While their success in robotics is impressive, GoGo BoBa is more than just a team – it’s a close-knit family. From birthday celebrations to movie nights, their bond extends far beyond competitions. This chemistry translates into seamless teamwork on the field, making them one of the most coordinated and effective teams in the competition.

The Road to the World Championship

Team fixing their damaged robot at a competition

With their ticket to the VEX Robotics World Championship secured, GoGo BoBa is now training harder than ever. In May, they’ll head to Dallas, Texas, to compete against the best robotics teams from around the world.

As they set their sights on bringing home a world title, this young, talented team is proving that with innovation, teamwork, and determination, anything is possible.