MS Robotics Regional Tournament Results

On January 18, 2025, Shorecrest proudly hosted the West Florida FIRST^® LEGO^® League Regional Championship, showcasing incredible talent and innovation. The campus was a flurry of activity with 42 teams and their families. During the 2024-2025 FIRST LEGO League SUBMERGED season, teams were challenged to identify and research a problem related to ocean exploration. Along the way, participants discovered ways to strengthen their communities and innovate for a healthier planet with thriving oceans.

We are thrilled to share the results achieved by Shorecrest’s two middle school competitive robotics teams, led by coaches Dr. Anna Baralt and Christine Scoby:

Team 1448, The Force: Won the Champion’s Finalist Award. 

Team 1448’s innovative project uses a system of acoustic buoys to identify and locate whales. A signal is sent to ships in the area with steps to reduce marine noise pollution. Their research focused on improving the health of marine ecosystems by reducing marine noise pollution. The team was elated to receive this recognition.

Team 1449, The R2D2s: Secured the Robot Design Finalist Award. 

Team 1449’s robot, Speedy Gonzales, features a quad base with flat, square walls that aid in alignment during robot runs. At the front of the robot, two medium motors are used to power a gear system, enabling the use of active attachments. A key innovation is a gear switcher, which allows them to control the motors on one side of the robot at a time, facilitating multiple contact points for attachments. Additionally, Speedy Gonzales uses two sensors at the front to help detect lines for precise navigation on the game mat.

Both teams earned a golden ticket to the State Championship, which will take place at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, on February 7-8.

Shorecrest would also like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the Upper School student volunteers — Alexis Valance ‘25, Carson Granese ’25, Patrick Meng ‘25, Charlie Humphreys ‘27, Ethan Creadon ’25, Andrew Myint ’25, Gaston Grehan-Savona ‘26, Lili Scoby ’25, Logan Sickling ‘28, Quincy Asycue ‘27, and Will Farley ‘27 — who contributed over 450 combined hours this season as referees, robot judges, photographers, and tournament assistants! A special congratulations to Carson Granese ’25, who was honored as the West Florida FIRST LEGO League Volunteer of the Year! Their dedication exemplifies the spirit of giving back to the FIRST robotics community as well as the Shorecrest Core Values. 

More photos.

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