- December 4, 2025
Jack Servi, 5, (center) with his dad Josh Servi (left) and coach Jacob Rogers (right) won 1st Place in the 1 lb. Division with his robot Flat Head. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The winners of the 15 lb. Division of the VMA Robot Brawl with School Board members Jessie Thompson (left) and Ruben Colon (right). Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The winners of the 3 lb. Division of the VMA Robot Brawl with School Board members Jessie Thompson (left) and Ruben Colon (right).Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The winners of the VMA Robot Brawl 1 lb. Division, led by first place winner Jack Servi (center). Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
5-year-old Jack Servi of Ormond-by-the-Sea, won first place in the 1 lb. Division. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Flat Head (foreground) flips Star Destroyer in the Final round of the 1 lb. Division. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Flat Head (foreground) flips Star Destroyer in the Final round of the 1 lb. Division. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Josh Servi coaches his 5-year-old son Jack Servi before the final touch in the 1 lb. Division. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad demonstrate a field robot. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad demonstrate a field robot. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad demonstrate a field robot. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
A full house at the sixth annual VMA Robot Brawl held at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Robots battle during the sixth annual VMA Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Cypress Creek Programming and Competition Robotics teacher Kim Stears and STEM educator Dr. Connie Rivers keep track of the Robot Brawl results. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Kick Back battles during the Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Kick Back battles during the Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Kick Back battles during the Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Last minute adjustments to robot Kick Back before they battle. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Robots crawl during the 2025 VMA Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Zachary Hall and Forklift went on to win second place in the 15 lb. Division. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Brawlers prepare for their Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Clean-up between battles at the 2025 VMA Robot Brawl at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Zachary Hall, 15, from T. DeWitt Taylor Middle-High School and his robot Forklift. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Robots in the 3 lb. class battle during the sixth annual VMA Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Jessica Lovatt, president/CEO of Volusia manufacturers Association, welcomes attendees to the Robot Brawl. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The sixth annual Volusia Manufacturers Association Robot Brawl was held Saturday, October 11, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Seventy-six student robots faced off in a single-elimination tournament across three weight classes: 1- 3- and 15-pounds.
Elementary, middle and high school students in Volusia County designed, built, and battled their own robots. Winners in each category received $1,000 for first place, $500 for second, and $250 for third.
Five-year-old Jack Servi, of Ormond-by-the-Sea, won the 1-pound division with his robot Flat Head. Servi, a kindergartner at Ormond Beach Elementary School, became interested in robotics after attending last year’s event as a spectator. He was coached remotely by Jacob Rogers, owner of Drop Kick Dojo in Jacksonville.
The event is sponsored by the Volusia Manufacturers Association, which provides information, education, and networking opportunities for local manufacturers of all sizes.
In addition to the student competition, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad conducted a demonstration of one of the department’s operational field robots.
The robot winners were:
1-pound division
First place: Flat Head (Drop Kick Dojo)
Second place: Star Destroyer (DeBary Elementary)
Third place: Spinner 2.0 (Spruce Creek Elementary)
3-pound division
First place: Absolution (DeLand High School)
Second place: Rapture (DeLand High School)
Third place: Ryan, Jr. (DeLand High School.)
15-pound division
Firs place: Billy Drizz -(DeLand High School)
Second place: The Forklift (T. DeWitt Taylor Middle-High School)
Third place: The Ramp (T. DeWitt Taylor Middle-High School)
