Washington Episcopal School’s robotics team, the "Dragonbots," won first place in the presentation category for a creative, imaginative, well-documented, and demonstrated research project at the International First LEGO League state-wide competition at UMBC Retriever Activities Center in Catonsville, Md. on Jan. 28. Seventy-four teams competed. The FLL organized the competition, which hosts around 20,000 teams in over 60 countries.

Each year, competition is based on an annually determined theme. This year’s theme called "The Food Factor Challenge" related to food safety. Participating teams are evaluated on their ability to design and program robotics to complete tasks, the quality and ingenuity of their theme-based research project, and their ability to work together in unity. The "Dragonbots" earned a spot at this competition because they won second place overall at the Woods Academy qualifier in December. This is the team’s fifth trophy for robotics.

The "Dragonbots," named after the school’s reptilian mascot "Wesley," is comprised of 10 students in grades 6-8: David Butturini (Grade 6), Georgia Currie (Grade 6), Anders Groeschel (Grade 6), Oliver Johnson (Grade 6), Samantha Liggins (Grade 6), Jaymin Ortega (Grade 6), Laurence Ruberl (Grade 8), Athena Skoufias (Grade 6), Tayyaba Tareq (Grade 6), John Young (Grade 7, and student advisor Matthew Jackson (Grade 7). It is coached by Jason Platt, technology coordinator at WES, along with four parent advisors: David and Gail Jackson, Gina Mirigliano, and Brenda Ortega, all having backgrounds in science and technology.

For more information about the FLL, see http://www.firstlegoleague.org/mission/support.