The future of robotics took centre stage Friday as Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus hosted the 17th annual Western Canada RoboCup Junior event, drawing more than 40 students from across the Okanagan Valley. The energetic competition brought together elementary, middle, and secondary school students, all eager to test their robotic creations in a series of STEM-focused challenges. “We have events where teams are playing soccer and we have search and rescue robots,” said Okanagan College professor Nadir Ouldkhessal. “They tend to work on it at home or at school or in their clubs for a couple of months before going here and putting their robots for performance.” Ouldkhessal, who helps organize the annual event, says the competition has grown not only in size but in technological sophistication. “We used to receive teams that are using basic LEGO,” he said. “Now teams have very sophisticated robots… robots that have sensors, camera onboard and they are fully autonomous.” RoboCup Junior is part of a global initiative aimed at inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators. At Okanagan College, it’s become a hands-on way for students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun and interactive setting. The day wrapped up with an awards ceremony in the Centre for Learning Atrium, celebrating not just technical skill, but teamwork and innovation as well.