By Leslie Fuentes
Public Communications
Humble ISD hosted its annual Humble ISD Elementary Robotics Open (HERO) Final Competition on Saturday, April 26. The event brought together 48 teams from 29 elementary campuses at Ross Sterling Middle School to compete in robotics and app challenges.
After a full day of coding challenges, creative thinking, and problem-solving, three standout teams emerged as this year’s top champions.
The Silver Coyotes from Centennial Elementary were named the overall winners of the 2025 HERO Robotics Competition. In the robotics category, The Sigmas from Oaks Elementary claimed first place, while team WLW from Autumn Creek Elementary earned top honors in the app development category.
The competition centered around this year’s theme, “Robotics in National Parks.”
“We always aim to choose a theme that is both engaging and grounded in real-world robotics so the simulations keep student attention but also relate to real-world situations,” Humble ISD Coordinator of Digital Design and Innovation Shelly Veron said. “Students learn about career pathways they may not have previously known about while coding and solving challenges across four different park zones.”
The HERO Final Competition was the culmination of months of preparation.
Over 150 teams participated in preliminary rounds held in February, with just 48 teams advancing to the final competition. In addition to refining their robot code, finalists were tasked with designing an original app to address a real issue faced by a national park of their choice. Students had about 10 weeks to research, plan, pitch, and prototype their solutions.
“While coding and building the bots is what draws students in, they’re really learning how to talk to one another, collaborate on challenging problems, and come up with creative solutions,” Veron said. “I think that is always the goal when an educator sets out to start a big program like this, and this event is just so exciting to see come to fruition each year.”
During the robotics challenge, students showcased their robots by navigating a VEX board designed to simulate various national park environments. Meanwhile, families, friends, and Humble ISD staff gathered to cheer on the young innovators.
Judging was a collaborative effort involving Humble ISD high school students, staff, community members, and a representative from the National Park Service, who reviewed the students’ app presentations and offered valuable feedback to participants.
Adding to the event’s national parks theme, local scout troops were also present to share information about their work in parks and distribute Every Kid Outdoors passes — free annual passes available to all fourth-grade students.
Top 10 Overall Teams:
Silver Coyotes – Centennial Elementary
The Unknown Team – Willow Creek Elementary
The Sigmas – Oaks Elementary
Cyberbot Crew – Summerwood Elementary
Krusty Krab – River Pines Elementary
The Dr. Peppers – Willow Creek Elementary
Techno Potatoes Jr. – Deerwood Elementary
WLW – Autumn Creek Elementary
National Park Rescu – Eagle Springs Elementary
Park Preservers – Willow Creek Elementary
Top 6 Robotics Teams:
The Sigmas – Oaks Elementary
Silver Coyotes – Centennial Elementary
Cyberbot Crew – Summerwood Elementary
Byte Blasters – Lakeland Elementary
HHE2 – Hidden Hollow Elementary
Krusty Krab – River Pines Elementary
Top 6 App Design Teams:
WLW – Autumn Creek Elementary
National Rescue Girls – Eagle Springs Elementary
The Unknown Team – Willow Creek Elementary
Megatron – Maplebrook Elementary
Techno Potatoes Jr. – Deerwood Elementary
W Coders – Park Lakes Elementary