Four Prince William County-Area Schools Win Robotics Awards

Robotics teams from three area schools earned bids on Saturday to the VEX Robotics World Tournament scheduled for this April in Anaheim, Calif.

Manassas Christian School's 6800 B Team and Stonewall Middle School's 983A team earned spots at the California tournament after being named the tournament champions at the VEX Robotics Prince William Central Qualifier on Saturday at Manassas Park Middle School. 

The Manassas Christian team also took home accolades for programming skills, robot skills and earned the Excellence Award, said Travis Bower a Manassas Park Middle School seventh and eighth grade teacher and adviser to the school's robotics team.

"This means that their robot was the best programmed and controlled robot in the tournament," Bower said in an email to Patch.

The Judges Award, given to a team that demonstrates teamwork, dedication and ingenuity to overcome obstacles and solve problems was given to team 1231E from Benton Middle School in the Manassas area of Prince William County, he added.

 Manassas Park Middle School's 4061C team took home the robotics design award, Bower said.

The tournament hosted more than 40 middle school teams from Prince William County Public Schools, Manassas City Public Schools, Manassas Park City Schools and the Manassas Christian School Divisions. 

Nick Reeves, a graduate of Garfield High School in Woodbridge, was recognized for his work with area robotics programs.

Reeves often returns home from college to assist area students, Bower said.

Bower himself earned the Mentor of the Year Award for his dedication and work with the robotics teams.

He started the robotics after school program at Manassas Park Middle about three years ago because he wanted to get more children interested in science, technology or math courses and have them thinking about such careers as they moved to high school, Bower said. 

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