Students Shine at VEX Robotics Championship
March 8, 2010

Prince William County Public School’s (PWCS) middle school robotics teams have proven themselves “World-Class.” Two teams, one from Potomac Middle School and one from Marsteller Middle School, have secured spots in the VEX World Tournament after their performance in the VEX Mid-Atlantic Robotics Championship held in Westminster, Maryland on February 27. These teams head to Dallas, Texas in April to compete in the World Tournament.

The Potomac Middle School Girls Robotics Team received the highest possible award—the Excellence Award. Teammates Roxanne Jasswalla, Sadie Peloquin, Zoya Penwell, and Jocelyn Quispe competed against 23 middle school teams from across the mid-Atlantic region. Their coaches are Pam Rheinlander, eighth-grade science team leader, and Tom Dishman, technical education teacher. The award was based on their performance in all categories.

Three Marsteller Middle School teams received awards in the competition. One team placed as a tournament finalist, another team became tournament champions, and a third Marsteller team received the sportsman award based on a vote by the other teams participating. Coaches are Josh Labrie and Jay Harris, both eighth-grade physical science teachers, and Curt Baisch, a volunteer from Progeny Systems.

Robotics has gained popularity very quickly in PWCS. Four years ago, there were only six or seven teams. Today Prince William County Public Schools has 14 elementary level First Lego League (FLL) teams and 68 middle school VEX teams. At the high school level there are nine registered VEX teams, six FIRST Tech Challenge teams, and two FIRST Robot Challenge teams.

It costs $1,200 dollars to start a team, with school teams relying heavily on business partnerships, SPARK, the Education Foundation for PWCS, and school PTSOs or PTAs to get started. Teams must use the same equipment, having a leveling effect on the playing field; however, teams may use their own money to get more equipment. Lockheed Martin’s early sponsorship of this activity in several SIGNET classes made it possible for the program to begin here in PWCS. The only limitation these teams face is funds and recruiting members of the faculty and community to serve as coaches and mentors.

The PWCS School Board supports this activity as part of the Divisionwide budget and only with their support this year was it possible to expand the program and include all 15 middle schools, two traditional schools, create 14 FLL teams and help sustain the robotics programs in four of our PWCS high schools. Supplemental donations and partnerships with companies like Lockheed Martin, Aerojet, Qualcomm, and Cintas are vital in keeping these teams running.

Coach Labrie, in describing what business support means to the Marsteller Middle School Robotics program, said, “Progeny Systems has been very supportive as a sponsor this year. I place a large part of our success on their willingness to support the high student demand for robotics by purchasing two complete new robots with additional monies for spare parts.”