Middle School Robotics Team Wins First Place at LEGO Robotics Qualifier
Norfolk Collegiate is proud to announce that the Middle School Robotics Team took first place at the LEGO Robotics Qualifying Tournament on Nov. 15, 2025. Team members Declan W. ’30, Sadie Z. ’30, Giovanni S. '30, Noah B. ’31, Hugo H. ’32 and Gideon H. ’32 impressed judges with their engineering skills, problem-solving and teamwork, earning them a spot at the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) State Championship at James Madison University (JMU) this January.
“I was really excited when they announced our team had won,” said Sadie Z.
Coach Skip Morrow is especially proud of the team's history. “This is their seventh trip to the state tournament in seven years,” said Morrow. “I’m certain the team will represent Norfolk Collegiate in the best possible way this year.”
How the Competition Works
Each season, FIRST LEGO League presents teams with a global theme. This year’s challenge, UNEARTHED, invites students to explore archaeology and use lessons from the past to shape ideas for the future.
To meet the challenge, teams design, build and program LEGO robots capable of completing a series of missions on a themed game board. These missions simulate real archaeological tasks—from uncovering artifacts and restoring structures to navigating historical sites. Teams must also develop and present a complementary research project that demonstrates creativity, innovation and a clear connection to the season’s theme.
What’s Next
With regionals behind them, the team is now preparing for the state tournament at JMU, where they will compete against top-performing teams from across Virginia and Washington, D.C.
“Now, we’ll be working the next few weeks on refining our robot to work out some of the issues we had during the challenge,” said Gideon. His teammate, Hugo, agreed. In the weeks ahead, they will refine their robot, address bugs encountered during the qualifying round and continue strengthening their project presentation.
Their dedication, curiosity and collaboration have driven them this far, and the entire Oak community is excited to cheer them on as they represent Norfolk Collegiate at the state level.
If you haven’t seen them in action, you’re missing out—they’re a remarkable example of hands-on learning, innovation and student leadership in STEM.
