HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Parents are frustrated after an Oahu middle school unexpectedly pulled their robotics team out of an international competition.
Scott Yamasaki’s daughter is a member of Highlands Intermediate’s Robotics Team.
Her team placed first at last week’s Oahu Sea Perch Regional Competition and were invited to compete on an international level in Maryland this June.
They were excited to take their skills to the next level when their dreams were suddenly cut short.
Yamasaki said their daughter and her teammates were told they will no longer be competing due to insufficient funds. But a formal notice was never given to parents.
“I was kind of furious that my daughter had the chance and all of a sudden it was taken away from her,” Yamasaki said.
His wife called the principal and was told funding is going toward another mainland competition for a different program at the school.
“She had a shot at this competition,” said Yamasaki. “We didn’t have a chance to raise the money or even have a chance to send our daughter.”
Yamasaki said their invitation to compete on the international level was given to another school.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this,” said Yamasaki. “I’m still having a hard time grasping the situation.”
Hawaii News Now reached out to Highlands Intermediate’s principal and the teacher of the robotics team for comment and are waiting to hear back.
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