GENEROUS sponsors have made primary school roboteers’ dreams come true by funding a £10,000 trip to Kentucky for an international competition.

North Primary School pupils Talia Mereani, Will Burton, Joe Addley, Joel O’Donovan and Alex Kyle never imagined when they joined the school’s Robot Club they would be destined for a trip to the US.

Led by the Colchester school’s IT specialist and club organiser Sheila Walker, the young engineers, aged 10 and 11, built their robot named Jawty out of a plastic construction system, similar to Lego.

They designed, built and programmed Jawty to perform tasks in the form of a game which earned them Best Primary School Robot Team in the UK.

Now they are vying for the top spot at the world finals of the Vex IQ Challenge in Louisville next month.

WATCH: MEET THE NORTH SCHOOL ROBOTEERS

Headteacher Alan Garnett said: “We’ve been running Robot Club for three years now as an extension activity for children with a particular aptitude for science.

“Never for a minute did we foresee the club would lead to taking a group of children to America to represent their country in an international competition. I’d like to thank our generous sponsors for enabling us to give our children such an incredible experience.”

The roboteers, accompanied by Mr Garnett and Mrs Walker, will compete against the world’s best including China and Bahrain.

Without sponsors Google, artificial intelligence firm Qumodo, Douglas Vanda consulting company, and Colchester’s Rapid Electronics, their trip would not have been possible.

Chris Calver, head of education at Rapid Electronics, said: “It’s no secret the UK is facing some turbulent times. We need students to have a strong interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, from an early age and for them to understand what engineering careers actually looks like.

“Programmes like the VEX IQ Challenge are vital in providing the spark these children need to make the connection between what they learn in the classroom and how this can be applied in the real world.

“What Sheila and the team at North Primary have done is an incredible achievement.”

The Elementary Excellence Award winners have “worked tirelessly” on Jawty, Mrs Walker explained, and that the Robot Club is still looking for sponsors to fund future endeavours.

She said: “The children worked tirelessly building and adapting their robot and then practised programming and controlling it during their lunchtime breaks and after school.

“They were so excited to win the nationals, but we really thought that was the end of our journey.

“To get sponsorship so we can take the robot and represent the UK is an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these children, which they will remember forever.”

Contact the school on 01206 574225 about sponsorship or click here  to make a donation.