Keystone Oaks honors middle- and high‑school robotics teams; student wins state apprenticeship award

The Keystone Oaks School District used its regular board meeting to celebrate student success in robotics and career education, recognizing middle‑ and high‑school teams that qualified for state VEX robotics championships and naming a student who won a statewide pre‑apprenticeship honor.

The superintendent said four Keystone Oaks Middle School VEX IQ teams qualified for the Western Pennsylvania State Championships after ranking in the top 20 of more than 80 teams statewide, with one team placing in the top 10 and another finishing fourth in driving and eighth in coding driving skills. “This is the best finish for a middle school team since the robotics club started,” the superintendent said.

At the high school level, the district’s single state qualifier finished sixth out of 48 teams in the skills challenge and earned an Innovate Award for engineering design. The district’s robotics club sponsor and technology education teacher, Mr. Ostrich, was named this year’s Western PA VEX Robotics Teacher of the Year, the superintendent said.

The board also recognized Kira, a student who participates in Catalyst Connections Industries’ manufacturing‑technician pre‑apprentice program, for winning the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Outstanding Registered Pre‑Apprentice Achievement Award. The superintendent said Kira has earned certifications in safety and quality practices, measurement, and process and production, and is expected to complete the program by the end of the school year.

Board members and staff thanked coaches, teachers and parents and invited the student groups to stay for photos and the remainder of the meeting. No board votes were taken on the recognitions.