For Middle School student Juan Yoshikay ’31, innovation isn’t just something he reads about—it’s something he builds with his own hands. As a member of Pine Crest’s Middle School robotics team, Juan recently traveled to the VEX World Championship, where he and his teammates competed alongside students from around the globe.
“It was all new for us,” Juan said. “Just getting used to the convention center, running from one match to the next. It was a lot! But what stood out most to me were the different teams, the different cultures. Talking with them, seeing how they designed their robots—it was really a learning experience.”
Juan has been involved in robotics for two years, starting in fifth grade after hearing about it from friends. “I didn’t know much at the time, but it sounded cool—like something from the future,” he said. That leap of curiosity has since become a passion, especially once he discovered the creative freedom that robotics offers. “There’s no one way to solve the challenge. You can try catapults, wheels, claws, whatever you can think of, as long as it works within the rules.”
This year, his team designed a robot capable of launching balls through a high target and rolling them into a lower goal. Inspired by designs they researched online, they built what Juan calls a “back roller bot,” complete with a fast gear ratio and overlapping mechanisms powered by rubber bands. “At first, I used to think it was only the international teams that could build really advanced robots,” Juan admitted. “But once we saw our robot actually working, I thought, ‘wait, we can do this, too.’ That was a confidence moment for me.”
Juan Yoshikay ’31 and his teammates compete at VEX World Robotics Competition
Beyond the mechanics, Juan says robotics has taught him how to think like an engineer by carefully identifying problems, brainstorming solutions, testing ideas and adjusting based on the results. “Even in school or in life, I think about what the goal is, what the challenges are and how I’m going to get there.”
The lessons haven’t been limited to technical or mechanical skills. His team received a sportsmanship award at Worlds for their empathy and support of other teams, even when opponents’ robots broke mid-match. “We didn’t want to make anyone feel bad—we’ve been in that situation ourselves,” he said. “We just wanted everyone to have a good experience.”
Teamwork, he added, was a big part of the journey. “We were probably one of the most complicated teams, with many strong personalities! But we learned how to work together. It taught us leadership, communication and how to respect each other’s differences.”
When asked what makes Pine Crest’s approach to innovation special, Juan didn’t hesitate. “It’s the freedom. Our coaches let us explore, experiment and make mistakes. That’s how we learn. And even beyond robotics, I think Pine Crest keeps setting the bar—whether it’s with technology, the arts or how beautiful our campus is.”
Mr. Kris Swanson and the Middle School VEX Robotics team at the World Championship
Juan’s already thinking about what’s next. He hopes to dive deeper into advanced mechanisms and eventually explore entrepreneurship in Upper School. “Every day is different in business. That excites me.”
And to the donors who make it all possible?
“Truly, thank you,” Juan said. “Because of your support, we’re not just learning—we’re growing into the people we want to be.”