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CREC Academy of Science and Innovation Team Named 2018 U.S. Nationals Robotics Team Champions

(Hartford, Conn.) Seventeen talented high school students from the CREC Academy of Science and Innovation, New Britain, are the new 2018 U.S. Nationals Robotics Team Champions. The Ravens team was awarded the title at the 11th annual VEX Robotics World Championship held in Louisville, Kentucky, in late April. This is the first year the school qualified for this worldwide student competition by being in the top seven percent of all robotics teams. The event brought together 30,000 competitors, including 1,648 teams from 30 nations, for a weeklong celebration of STEM, diversity, and robotics. It also secured the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title of largest robot competition.

In addition, the Ravens’ robot finished 39th out of 20,000 robots worldwide in robot skills, which assessed programming, design, build, and control skills. This means their robot was better than 99.8 percent of all robots in the world.

Congratulations to team members:Cameron Hicks, grade 12, East HartfordJoe Schultz, grade 11, Vernon Tre Baroncini, grade 11, MarlboroughStefany Ferguson, grade 12, Manchester Muhammad Afzaal, grade 12, WindsorAaron Paladino, grade 12, Manchester Zack Koval, grade 11, BristolTyler Scheinblum, grade 12, Manchester Tyler Carr, grade 12, East Hartford Christus Akrong, grade 11, New BritainRadha Patel, grade 11, Meriden Manna Matthew, grade 11, Glastonbury Jared Kruger, grade 10, BristolGramoz Ajeti, grade 11, New BritainAustin Raymond Tricka, grade 12, New BritainHardhik Kumamaru, grade 11, Windsor LocksTyreke Martina, grade 12, Glastonbury

Earlier in April, the Ravens won the U.S. Nationals Robotics Open Division Competition in robot skills at an event held in Council Bluffs, Iowa, during National Robotics Week. They also took home the U.S. Robotics Nationals "Think" award, presented to the team that demonstrates "impressive and effective autonomous programming." They bested challengers from 19 teams from China, as well as other high schools, colleges, and professional engineers.

“The team's robot stood out from a programming perspective and their tireless efforts really impressed the judges, players, and coaches, “said Dr. Robert Polselli, the team’s robotics coach and the school’s technology and engineering teacher. “We were also the first school in our region to qualify for the world championships in the last 10 years.”