Kilby Robotics Team Brings Home Award from World Competition
May. 13, 2026
Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392
FLORENCE, AL – The Kilby Laboratory School Robotics Team, known as the “Load and Link Lions,” won the Energy Award in their division at the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis, Mo. Kilby bested 81 other teams as a result of their energy, sportsmanship, and positive interactions with other teams and fans.
“I am very proud and impressed by our robotics team at Kilby,” said Dr. Eric Kirkman, Director of the school located on the University of North Alabama campus. “This year was special in that this was not only our fourth time in a row qualifying for VEX Worlds competition, but this was the first time the event took place in St. Louis, Missouri.”
The 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship took place at American’s Center Convention Complex and featured more than 850 teams, representing more than 60 countries, territories, and tribes. Kilby was one of 12 teams selected from the State of Alabama to compete in the annual competition, which emphasizes team works and includes separately competing elementary, middle, and high school divisions.
The event features five divisions: arts, engineering, math, science, and technology. The Elementary School competition took place at the end of April and included a Teamwork Challenge, Driving Skills, and Autonomous Coding Skills.
Kilby had first place in its division at the end of the first day of competition. By competition’s end, Kilby took home the Energy Award from the Technology Division. This award was presented to the team that displayed the highest degree of enthusiasm, collaboration, and sportsmanship during the competition.
“Competing at VEX Worlds and winning the Energy Award was a great honor and experience for our students and their parents,” Dr. Kirkman said. “They represented the State of Alabama very well.”
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; the Spencer College of Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.