Battlefield High School Robotics FRC Team 1885 Recognized for Outstanding Achievement at Chesapeake District Championship

After intense competition in seven district tournaments, the top fifty-eight teams from Virginia, Maryland and DC arrived to compete in the FIRST Robotics Chesapeake District Championship held April 7, 8 and 9 at the University of Maryland Xfinity Center, sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton.

Over six short weeks, students work with coaches and mentors, many from engineering and technology corporations to design a robot to best compete in the game challenge for the year.  FIRST STRONGHOLD is the medieval themed robotics game played by FIRST Robotics Competition Teams for 2016.  In rounds of two-and-a-half minutes of fast-paced action, two alliances of three robots each collaborate to breach their opponents' strategically selected fortifications, weaken their opponents' castle tower with boulders, and in the last seconds surround, scale and capture the opposing tower.

Seated under the many winning banners of the highly decorated University of Maryland athletic program, the cheering teams, fans and families along with high-tech lighting, music and sophisticated videos created a competition atmosphere equal to any eagerly anticipated sporting event.  "A high school experience with FIRST Robotics, teaches teamwork, communications, fundraising and more, its not just robots" said excited Battlefield High School senior and ILITE Team 1885 co-president, Justine Suegay.

All of ILITE Team 1885 was honored and excited to win the Chairman's Award.  The Chairman's Award is bestowed on the team serving as a role model for other teams and embodying the goals of FIRST.  The Chairman's Award is the most prestigious team award even more so than winning the tournament.  The team selected to receive the Chairman's Award is judged to have the most significant measurable impact on advancing the mission of FIRST and STEM education over a sustained period, not just a single competition season.  The team selected to receive the Chairman's Award is invited to the FIRST Championship held in St. Louis April 27, 28, 29, and 30 2016 to compete for the Chairman's Award against the winners from the other national and international qualifying events.

ILITE Team 1885 mentor, Mr. Jesse Knight, Senior Consultant with Macedon Technologies, was also honored at the Chesapeake District Championship with the Woodie Flowers Finalist Award.  The Woodie Flowers Finalist Award is presented to one adult mentor nominated by each team who inspires and leads students in the art and science of engineering design.  Mr. Knight will attend the FIRST Championship in St. Louis as a team mentor and finalist for the Woodie Flowers Award competing with all other adult mentors selected from qualifying events since the inception of FIRST.  "Participating in FIRST, gives students hands-on engineering, problem-solving and technical expertise in an interactive environment and I am proud to represent the team with this award" said Mr. Knight, an eleven year veteran ILITE Team 1885 mentor on helping to develop the next generation of engineers, programmers and business professionals.

Established in 2005 with thirty-two students, ILITE FRC Team 1885 is today one of the largest robotics programs in the Mid-Atlantic region.  ILITE FRC Team 1885 based at Battlefield High School in Prince William County, Virginia is coached by Professor Gail Drake.   ILITE stands for inspiring Leaders in Technology and Engineering.  Since winning Rookie All St2006 at the FIRST Championship, ILITE Team FRC 1885 has won numerous awards including five regional Chairman's Awards and four regional Engineering Inspiration Awards.  ILITE Team 1885 engages in extensive outreach to share their love of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by holding STEM summer camps, hosting an annual STEM Expo, advocating for STEM education with national politicians and supporting robotics education at local elementary school as well as schools in Haiti and Malaysia.  To learn more about ILITE FRC Team 1885, go to http://www.ilite.us.  Donations to support ILITE FRC Team 1885 may be sent to the attention of US STEM Foundation, 7371 Atlas Walk Way, #242 Gainesville, VA. 20155.