Choices matter most when no one is watching.
Today we want to share something small that happened at a competition - but something that meant everything to us.
The Moment
During a match at the SCORE Showdown, our 839Y team was accidentally given extra points by the scorekeeper.
After the match ended, the kids discovered the error themselves.
If they stayed quiet? It wasn’t exactly a “harmless” situation:
- Their ranking would look better
- They’d have a better chance of being picked by top teams for alliance selection
- No one reminded them
- Almost no one would ever notice
But they went to the head referee anyway. They explained what happened. They asked to have the score corrected.
The result: 10 points deducted.
”Why Did You Do That?”
After the event, a parent asked them: “Why did you report it?”
The kids thought for a moment, then said:
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
That moment hit us hard.
What We’re Really Here For
We don’t bring kids to competitions just for trophies, rankings, or report cards.
Competitions end. Scores get reset. But what a person chooses to do in a critical moment - that defines who they are.
The purpose of education isn’t to teach kids how to “win easier.” It’s to teach them that even when the right path is harder - you still take it.
A Fitting Ending
Perhaps this is exactly why the judges noticed this young team. Perhaps this is why they were selected as the recipients of the Excellence Award - VEX Robotics’ highest honor.
When no one is watching, that’s when your choices truly matter.
