The journey of Pacinotti Archimede towards the RoboCup in Brazil
‘Robotics is multidisciplinary: it teaches us to solve problems, work in a team and grow.’ This is how Lorenzo Addario, a student at the Pacinotti Archimede Institute in Rome, describes his experience at RomeCup 2025, a competition that every year transforms Rome into the capital of educational and technological innovation.
For the third consecutive year, Lorenzo and his classmates reached the final in the Soccer Light Weight category, where robot footballers designed and programmed by students compete in real tournaments. But that's not all: in 2024, they won the national championship and this year they earned a place at the Robotics World Cup in Brazil, scheduled for 15 to 21 July.
Behind their success is constant work that goes beyond school hours. They are guided by Professor Paolo Torda, a champion of Italian educational robotics and electronics lab teacher: “Robotics competitions are a unique opportunity for students. They let them play, have fun and grow. They are a laboratory of life and skills for the future”.
The head teacher, Chiara Sicoli, interviewed at the Campidoglio, emphasises the importance of this extracurricular commitment: “Living with these young people every day, seeing their dedication even outside the classroom, is an honour. We are looking for sponsors to help them realise their dream of competing in the world championship”. Now that the funding has been found, the students are ready to leave for Brazil.
But it should be emphasised that it is particularly pleasing to meet a headteacher who chooses to accompany her students (she has more than 1,700!) to the Campidoglio, sharing their emotions, expectations and achievements. Her presence is a concrete sign of how much the school can be a living educational community, capable of believing in the potential of its young people and supporting them, even outside the classroom.
At RomeCup, Lorenzo found much more than a competition. He found a community. “It's a peaceful, stimulating environment, never competitive in a negative sense. Here you learn not only about electronics, but also about respect for rules, stress management and collaboration”. Above all, you learn what it means to put theory into practice, tackling problems in real time, such as when “the robot breaks down half an hour before the competition and you have to find a solution on the fly”, Lorenzo told journalist Vanessa Quinto of Rai News.
The RomeCup is not just a competition: it is an ecosystem of guidance and discovery, where students from all over Italy meet to share projects, visions and talents. It is a springboard to the future, personal, professional and collective. And the students of Pacinotti Archimede are the most concrete proof of this.
