Middle Schoolers Overcome Odds to Grab Lego Robotics Challenge Awards

An eight-member group of seventh-grade boys from the took top honors in two competitions at Saturday's Middle School Technology Design Challenge, a Lego robotics competition, at Bridgewater—Raritan Middle School.

The results were in spite of the group's lack of official school status, and because of the assistance of coaches John Draikiwicz and Alexandre Lamy, students at Watchung Hills Regional and members of Watchung Hill's Robotics Team.

Draikiwicz and Lamy provided the leadership for Jonathan Rich, Troy Cullen, Sebastien Lamy, Kathik Irakam, Parth Patel, Ethan Tu, Ryan Krakower and Christopher Draikiwicz after repairs underway after prevented the students from being able to study at school. Since January, the team met on a regular basis, preparing to compete in three of the four challenges at the Challenge.

The main goal of this annual Lego robotics competition is to encourage the students to strategize the best way to creatively solve a problem. The teams were presented with four challenges, and the Warren team won first place in one challenge and second in another.

"The high school Robotics Team coaches took the initiative to start this seventh-grade team since the the middle school was unable to offer this enrichment opportunity to the handful of gifted and talented students this year," parent Yee Jao said. "It's an example of fine young citizens in our own community who already understand the significance of giving back, even with their own very demanding high school age schedules."

The team also expressed its gratitude to WMS' Dr. Susan Cooper, who provided support to the team—and usually during the school year.