Mt. Hope Robotics Team Will Head to World Championship

The Robotics Team have much to be proud of following their big win at the Regional Championship Tournament over the weekend.

According to Mt. Hope robotics coach Ryan Garrity, one of the two teams participating from Mt. Hope walked out of the championship with the Inspire Award, which he says is the most prestigious award a team could win at the event. The following is an email from Garrity.

After attending the CT FTC Regional Championship Tournament on [Saturday] in West Hartford, CT at the Kingswood-Oxford School, Mt. Hope Robotics once again prevailed, with one of two of our teams at the event winning the Inspire Award.

The hard work and dedication of the students involved showed off on and off the robotics field.

The three main players of the team consist of Jacob Sardinha, Connor McMullen, and Matthew Silva. 

The Inspire Award is the most prestigious award you can win at any event. As it reads, due to this being a championship tournament, the team that is presented with this award will automatically receive an invitation to the world championship.

Superintendent of Schools Melinda Thies echoed Garrity's excitement, wishing the team luck as they move forward to the world championship.

"Wonderful news regarding the Robotics competition in CT this weekend," Thies wrote in an email. "Ryan has the ability to motivate and inspire kids to excel.  Congratulations to Jason Sardinha, Connor McMullen and Matthew Silva as they move on to the World Competition."

Warren resident Sheila Morris-Sardinha, says her son, Jacob, is looking forward to participating in the world championship which has been scheduled in April in St. Louis. She says her son and the team is expected to compete against more than 160 other teams.

"It's a real feather in their cap to have earned this prestigious award," said Sardinha. "[It's] cool for them to be in the forum of top engineering and robotic students from around the world!"

Correction: Mt. Hope is one of approximately 160 teams chosen to go to the World Champoinship out of about 1600 teams who have competed worldwide in hopes of receibing an invitation to the championships.