News
All articles are from Potomac School's newsletters, websites, and publications.
2019-2020
Potomac Hosts Robotics Tournament
Our robotics team recently hosted its first-ever event in the beautiful new Spangler Center for Athletics and Community. Forty-two teams participated, 15 of them from Potomac. Almost every Potomac team advanced to the elimination rounds, either as team captain or as partner to a higher-seeded team.
Team 12E was the first-ranked team in the tournament, going undefeated during the qualification matches. It joined forces with 12Z during the elimination matches; though they lost in the championship match, the two teams were still tournament finalists. The majority of the Potomac teams had winning records, and 12T, 12Z, and 12Y were all in the top eight. In the skills challenges, 12Z, 12E, and 12P were ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively. Congratulations to all who competed!
Team 12E was the first-ranked team in the tournament, going undefeated during the qualification matches. It joined forces with 12Z during the elimination matches; though they lost in the championship match, the two teams were still tournament finalists. The majority of the Potomac teams had winning records, and 12T, 12Z, and 12Y were all in the top eight. In the skills challenges, 12Z, 12E, and 12P were ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively. Congratulations to all who competed!
Remarkable Robotics
On December 14, the ETC Middle and Intermediate School Robotics teams competed in a tournament here at Potomac. Twenty-one teams from 11 different organizations and schools participated in this early-season contest. This was the first VEX IQ tournament that Potomac has hosted, and it was a great opportunity for teams to build their programming, driving, interviewing, and teamwork skills with peer groups. Potomac teams 10227E (Nathan Alexander ’25, Sebastian Gardner ’25, and Michael Giuliano ’25) and 10227F (Graham La Force ’25, Christian Lam ’25, Christopher Lee ’25, and Dev Saluja ’25) made it to the finals after the qualification matches but were held off by an impressive field of finalists. A big thanks goes out to all of the parents, teachers, and US students who volunteered to help make this tournament a success.
2018-2019
Robotics Teams Dominate in State Championship
Congratulations to the incredible members of our Upper School robotics program! This past weekend, Potomac sent nine of its 12 teams (12A, 12E, 12F, 12G, 12H, 12J, 12M, 12N, and 12P) to the State Championship in Doswell – and rocked the event.
Not a single Potomac team had a losing record; five out of 15 awards went to Potomac teams; and the Potomac program as a whole won the Inspire Award. Team 12G (Ben Choi '22, Matthew Giuliano '19, Christopher Kang '21, Arjun Kumar '19, Jake Levingston '19, Scott Trundle '21, and Jared White '19) won the Amaze Award, while 12E (Jonas Huff '22, Jodie Kuo '20, Bryce Lukacs '21, Harper Malesardi '20, Max Wehner '19, and Sean Yap '21) earned the Innovate Award.
Eight of the nine participating teams made it to the elimination rounds, and 12G and 12A (John Djorup '21, Michael Djorup '20, Aneesh Edara '22, Akash Gupta '21, Akshay Gupta '20, Robert O'Brien '19, and Yumn Teshome '22) went to the finals as the second-seed alliance. Finally, four Potomac teams (12A, 12E, 12F, and 12G) are headed to the World Championship! (The members of 12F are Rajan Bhargava '22, Zoe Dubelier '19, Weston Hicks '22, James Jordan '19, Kenny Lin '19, Rachel Miller '22, John Murphy '21, and Marshall Riccardi '19.)
Not a single Potomac team had a losing record; five out of 15 awards went to Potomac teams; and the Potomac program as a whole won the Inspire Award. Team 12G (Ben Choi '22, Matthew Giuliano '19, Christopher Kang '21, Arjun Kumar '19, Jake Levingston '19, Scott Trundle '21, and Jared White '19) won the Amaze Award, while 12E (Jonas Huff '22, Jodie Kuo '20, Bryce Lukacs '21, Harper Malesardi '20, Max Wehner '19, and Sean Yap '21) earned the Innovate Award.
Eight of the nine participating teams made it to the elimination rounds, and 12G and 12A (John Djorup '21, Michael Djorup '20, Aneesh Edara '22, Akash Gupta '21, Akshay Gupta '20, Robert O'Brien '19, and Yumn Teshome '22) went to the finals as the second-seed alliance. Finally, four Potomac teams (12A, 12E, 12F, and 12G) are headed to the World Championship! (The members of 12F are Rajan Bhargava '22, Zoe Dubelier '19, Weston Hicks '22, James Jordan '19, Kenny Lin '19, Rachel Miller '22, John Murphy '21, and Marshall Riccardi '19.)
Last Virginia Tournament Before States
Potomac School Robotics competed at the last Virginia tournament before States on Saturday. Seven Potomac teams (12B, 12H, 12J, 12M, 12N, 12P, and 12X) competed against 32 other teams at George Mason University.
After a long day of qualification matches, 12H was ranked fifth, 12N was ranked sixth, and 12P was ranked ninth. All seven Potomac teams competed in the eliminations. 12P and 12J were allied together and competed hard to be tournament finalists. 12P also won the Judges' Award for their performance. Being named tournament finalists earned teams 12P and 12J spots at the State Championships.
In addition, teams 12H, 12M, and 12N earned spots at the State Championship through their skills scores. A total of nine out of 12 Potomac teams qualified for the Virginia State Championship, which will take place next weekend in Doswell. Congratulations to all!
After a long day of qualification matches, 12H was ranked fifth, 12N was ranked sixth, and 12P was ranked ninth. All seven Potomac teams competed in the eliminations. 12P and 12J were allied together and competed hard to be tournament finalists. 12P also won the Judges' Award for their performance. Being named tournament finalists earned teams 12P and 12J spots at the State Championships.
In addition, teams 12H, 12M, and 12N earned spots at the State Championship through their skills scores. A total of nine out of 12 Potomac teams qualified for the Virginia State Championship, which will take place next weekend in Doswell. Congratulations to all!
Three Teams Compete at "Night at the Museum"
This past Friday and Saturday, three of our robotics teams (12A, 12F, and 12G) competed at the "Night at the Museum" signature event. This was the toughest event that Potomac teams have competed at this year, and many people describe it as tougher than a division at the World Championship! Every team present had previously won an award at another tournament. The competition hailed from 25 different states – 19 of which included teams that were in the top three for their respective states – and the number-one skills-scoring team in the world also attended the event.
Team 12A finished in 29th place with a record of 4-4-0. Team 12F finished in 48th place with a record of 2-6-0. Team 12G finished in 42nd place with a record of 3-5-0. Both 12A and 12F increased their skill scores at this event (they currently hold the second and third-highest skill scores in the state of Virginia). Notably, 12A was also the second-highest-ranked Virginia team at the tournament.
Team 12A finished in 29th place with a record of 4-4-0. Team 12F finished in 48th place with a record of 2-6-0. Team 12G finished in 42nd place with a record of 3-5-0. Both 12A and 12F increased their skill scores at this event (they currently hold the second and third-highest skill scores in the state of Virginia). Notably, 12A was also the second-highest-ranked Virginia team at the tournament.
Robotics Tournament Hosted at Potomac
On Saturday, Potomac hosted its annual robotics tournament. Despite being cut short because of the snow, it was a great success, thanks to the many volunteers who helped run it. Huge thanks also go to our extraordinary coaches, Mr. Gillespie, Ms. Jarratt, Dr. McClain, Mr. McCullough, Mr. Mueller, and Mr. Rheinstein.
Every Potomac robotics team competed in the tournament. Notably, Team 12E won the Excellence Award, which recognizes it as the overall best team in the competition. It also qualifies 12E for the Virginia State Championships and the US Open Championships. The Skills Champion Award was given to Team 12A, qualifying it for the Virginia State Championships too.
Teams 12E, 12F, and 12H were undefeated during the qualification matches. Teams 12A, 12B, 12G, 12N, 12P, and 12R had winning records during the qualification matches. After qualifications were over, Teams 12A, 12E, 12F, 12G, 12H, and 12P all competed in the elimination matches. This means that six out of the 16 teams in the eliminations were from Potomac!
Every Potomac robotics team competed in the tournament. Notably, Team 12E won the Excellence Award, which recognizes it as the overall best team in the competition. It also qualifies 12E for the Virginia State Championships and the US Open Championships. The Skills Champion Award was given to Team 12A, qualifying it for the Virginia State Championships too.
Teams 12E, 12F, and 12H were undefeated during the qualification matches. Teams 12A, 12B, 12G, 12N, 12P, and 12R had winning records during the qualification matches. After qualifications were over, Teams 12A, 12E, 12F, 12G, 12H, and 12P all competed in the elimination matches. This means that six out of the 16 teams in the eliminations were from Potomac!
Winter Break Robotics
On Saturday, January 5, five Potomac teams participated in a tournament in Manassas Park, Virginia. All of the teams had a great showing in the skills challenges, and all five made it to the finals after the qualification rounds. Their places going into the finals were
2nd – Team 10227C – Marcus Burrell '23, Devon Cleaver '23, Andrew Lay '23, and Grace Lee '23
3rd – Team 10227E – Devin Gaines '24, Daniel Overdeck '24, and Max Zeldes '24
4th – Team 10227A – Alex Christ '23 and Charlie Ortmans '23
5th – Team 10227F – Arav Bhargava '24 and Alex Mathews '24
8th – Team 10227D – Sofya Donets '24, Zoe Myslewicz '24, and Brooklyn Williams '24 (Pictured, from left: Sofya, Brooklyn, and Zoe)
Team 10227C was awarded several honors – the group was named Teamwork Champion and Robot Skills Champion, and also won the STEM Research Award and the Excellence Award. This qualifies the team for States and Nationals.
Team 10227F won the Judges Award in recognition of its dedication and hard work throughout the tournament and overall season.
Team 10227E took third place at the end of the tournament.
Congratulations to our robotics students for their amazing efforts!
2nd – Team 10227C – Marcus Burrell '23, Devon Cleaver '23, Andrew Lay '23, and Grace Lee '23
3rd – Team 10227E – Devin Gaines '24, Daniel Overdeck '24, and Max Zeldes '24
4th – Team 10227A – Alex Christ '23 and Charlie Ortmans '23
5th – Team 10227F – Arav Bhargava '24 and Alex Mathews '24
8th – Team 10227D – Sofya Donets '24, Zoe Myslewicz '24, and Brooklyn Williams '24 (Pictured, from left: Sofya, Brooklyn, and Zoe)
Team 10227C was awarded several honors – the group was named Teamwork Champion and Robot Skills Champion, and also won the STEM Research Award and the Excellence Award. This qualifies the team for States and Nationals.
Team 10227F won the Judges Award in recognition of its dedication and hard work throughout the tournament and overall season.
Team 10227E took third place at the end of the tournament.
Congratulations to our robotics students for their amazing efforts!
Robotics Performs Well in Fourth Virginia Tournament
The Potomac School Robotics team competed in its fourth Virginia tournament on Saturday. Seven Potomac teams (12A, 12E, 12G, 12J, 12N, 12P, and 12R) competed at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas against 43 other teams.
After a long day of qualification matches, 12E was ranked fifth and 12A was ranked ninth. 12E and 12G partnered together during the eliminations, but were knocked out in the semifinals. Team 12A and its alliance partner made it all the way to the finals and ended as tournament finalists.
Team 12A won the Skills Champion award for having the highest total skill score at the tournament – this is also a State Championship qualifier! Currently, 12A is the number-one team in skills in Virginia. Team 12F, which was first in Virginia and won the Skills Champion last week, is now second in skills in Virginia. (Team 12F didn't compete this weekend.)
After a long day of qualification matches, 12E was ranked fifth and 12A was ranked ninth. 12E and 12G partnered together during the eliminations, but were knocked out in the semifinals. Team 12A and its alliance partner made it all the way to the finals and ended as tournament finalists.
Team 12A won the Skills Champion award for having the highest total skill score at the tournament – this is also a State Championship qualifier! Currently, 12A is the number-one team in skills in Virginia. Team 12F, which was first in Virginia and won the Skills Champion last week, is now second in skills in Virginia. (Team 12F didn't compete this weekend.)
Robotics Accomplishments
The robotics team participated in its third Virginia tournament on Saturday. Five Potomac teams (12B, 12F, 12H, 12J, and 12R) competed at Woodbridge High School against 31 other teams.
After a long day of qualification matches, 12F ranked third and won the Excellence Award (the highest honor given at the tournament, which singles out the best all-around team). This qualifies 12F for the State Championship and the US Open Championship. Additionally, 12F won the Skills Champion Award for having the highest skill score total – this is also a State Championship qualifier! The members of this team are Rajan Bhargava '22, Zoe Dubelier '19, Weston Hicks '22, James Jordan '19, Kenny Lin '19, Rachel Miller '22, and Marshall Riccardi '19.
Two Potomac teams participated in the eliminations. Teams 12F and 12H were allied together as the third-seed alliance, but they were knocked out by the second-seed alliance in the semifinals. Team 12H had a good day and was ranked sixth at the tournament. The members of 12H are Jack Domagala '19, Drew Johnson '19, Simon McGraw '19, Alina Roustamov '21, and TJ Takis '22.
Teams 12B, 12J, and 12R all competed as a learning experience. They are working on designs to improve their robots with the goal of winning in their next tournament.
After a long day of qualification matches, 12F ranked third and won the Excellence Award (the highest honor given at the tournament, which singles out the best all-around team). This qualifies 12F for the State Championship and the US Open Championship. Additionally, 12F won the Skills Champion Award for having the highest skill score total – this is also a State Championship qualifier! The members of this team are Rajan Bhargava '22, Zoe Dubelier '19, Weston Hicks '22, James Jordan '19, Kenny Lin '19, Rachel Miller '22, and Marshall Riccardi '19.
Two Potomac teams participated in the eliminations. Teams 12F and 12H were allied together as the third-seed alliance, but they were knocked out by the second-seed alliance in the semifinals. Team 12H had a good day and was ranked sixth at the tournament. The members of 12H are Jack Domagala '19, Drew Johnson '19, Simon McGraw '19, Alina Roustamov '21, and TJ Takis '22.
Teams 12B, 12J, and 12R all competed as a learning experience. They are working on designs to improve their robots with the goal of winning in their next tournament.
Robotics At First Virginia Tournament
The Potomac School Robotics team competed in the FIRST Virginia Tournament on Sunday. Three robotics teams (12E, 12G, and 12X) competed at the US Patent and Trade Office in Alexandria. Students were excited to compete against some of the best teams in Virginia. After a long day of qualification matches, 12G was ranked second, with five wins and a tie, and accepted an invitation by the first-ranked team to form an alliance. From there, the group won all the elimination matches and were named the FIRST Virginia Tournament Champions. Team 12G also won the Amaze Award, which recognizes it as one of the best all-around teams at the tournament – something it backed up by having the third-highest skills score.
Team 12E had a solid performance, finishing as the eighth-seed alliance captain and winning their first elimination match (they lost their second match against 12G's alliance).
Team 12X competed as a learning experience. Members are already working on designs to improve their robot, with the goal of winning in a December tournament.
Team 12E had a solid performance, finishing as the eighth-seed alliance captain and winning their first elimination match (they lost their second match against 12G's alliance).
Team 12X competed as a learning experience. Members are already working on designs to improve their robot, with the goal of winning in a December tournament.
2017-2018
Five Teams Compete at Worlds
This past weekend (April 25-28), five of our robotics teams competed at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. This is the largest robotics competition in the world – according to the Guinness Book of World Records, 900 middle school, high school, and university teams attend each year. Teams qualify for the World Championship by performing well in the State Championship or Online Challenges, or through having excellent skill scores. Three of our teams (12C, 12G, and 12J) qualified through the State Championship; two teams (12E and 12F) qualified through skill scores; and two teams (12C and 12J) won second place in the Online Challenge, although only first-place winners qualified for Worlds.
Each team had a chance to be interviewed by judges, who examined all aspects of the teams. Judging categories included robot design, robot performance, the engineering process, and community service, among others. Ultimately, 12G was the only team to win an award from the judges, nabbing the "Innovate Award", which is given to a well-rounded team with a superb engineering design process.
Over the course of three days, our teams competed in 10 matches against the best teams in the world. Four of our teams had winning records: 12G (7-3), 12C (6-4), 12E (6-4), and 12J (6-4). During the alliance selection, 12F, 12G, and 12J were all invited to join a higher-seed alliance. Unfortunately, each of them was knocked out during eliminations and didn't make it to the finals.
The Championship was a great experience for our students. Even though we did not come home with a championship win, our teams learned a lot and are excited to start the next season of robotics – aiming to be World Champions in 2019!
Each team had a chance to be interviewed by judges, who examined all aspects of the teams. Judging categories included robot design, robot performance, the engineering process, and community service, among others. Ultimately, 12G was the only team to win an award from the judges, nabbing the "Innovate Award", which is given to a well-rounded team with a superb engineering design process.
Over the course of three days, our teams competed in 10 matches against the best teams in the world. Four of our teams had winning records: 12G (7-3), 12C (6-4), 12E (6-4), and 12J (6-4). During the alliance selection, 12F, 12G, and 12J were all invited to join a higher-seed alliance. Unfortunately, each of them was knocked out during eliminations and didn't make it to the finals.
The Championship was a great experience for our students. Even though we did not come home with a championship win, our teams learned a lot and are excited to start the next season of robotics – aiming to be World Champions in 2019!
Robotics Teams Compete at US Open
This weekend was a special one for seven of our US Robotics teams, which competed in the US Open VEX Robotics Championship in Council Bluffs, IA. Three teams (12C, 12G, and 12J) competed in the High School Division, and four teams (12A, 12E, 12F, and 12X) competed in the Open Division. While Potomac didn't come away as champions this year, 12A won the "Build Award," which is given to the robot with the best build quality and engineering design. Congratulations to all who attended!
Success at the Robotics State Championship
Robotics had a busy two days last weekend! At the VEX Robotics State Championships in Doswell, VA, 10 Potomac teams competed and ultimately did very well.
Over the course of two-day competition, Team 12G won the Excellence Award -- the highest award possible, given to the best overall team at the competition, which qualified 12G for the World Championships!
Team 12C was also highly successful, as it was undefeated during the qualification rounds and was first seed. During the elimination rounds, 12C invited 12G and 12J to join their alliance. While these students lost in the finals, they finished as Tournament Finalists, which gives them the chance to compete in Worlds.
12J earned the Energy Award (for the "team with extraordinary enthusiasm"), and 12C earned the Amaze Award (for the "team with with an amazing, well-rounded, and top-performing robot.")
12E and 12F also qualified for Worlds through their impressive skill scores this season.
Over the course of two-day competition, Team 12G won the Excellence Award -- the highest award possible, given to the best overall team at the competition, which qualified 12G for the World Championships!
Team 12C was also highly successful, as it was undefeated during the qualification rounds and was first seed. During the elimination rounds, 12C invited 12G and 12J to join their alliance. While these students lost in the finals, they finished as Tournament Finalists, which gives them the chance to compete in Worlds.
12J earned the Energy Award (for the "team with extraordinary enthusiasm"), and 12C earned the Amaze Award (for the "team with with an amazing, well-rounded, and top-performing robot.")
12E and 12F also qualified for Worlds through their impressive skill scores this season.
IS Robotics Teams Headed To Worlds!
Four of Potomac's seven IS robotics teams traveled to Doswell, VA, this Saturday to compete in the State Tournament. Potomac teams 10227B (Ben Choi and Rajan Bhargava), 10227C (Hudson LaForce and Weston Hicks), and 102275F (Marcus Burrell, Andrew Lay, and Alex Hekmat) all went to the finals after competing well in the qualifying rounds.
Team 10227A (Margaret Taylor, Emily Raman, Grace Lee, and Ellie Yoon) was awarded the STEM Research Project Award and qualified for Worlds.
Team 10227B was awarded the Design Award and also qualified for Worlds.
Team 10227A (Margaret Taylor, Emily Raman, Grace Lee, and Ellie Yoon) was awarded the STEM Research Project Award and qualified for Worlds.
Team 10227B was awarded the Design Award and also qualified for Worlds.
A Weekend Of Success For Robotics
This weekend (2/3/18), eight of our US robotics teams competed in Portsmouth, VA, at their last tournament of the year before the state championships. All eight teams ranked in the top eight after qualification rounds. Two teams (12G and 12X) became tournament champions, while 12F was the tournament Excellence Award winner (an honor that represents the overall best robotics team in the tournament). Teams 12H and 12C were tournament finalists. Click here for more information about the Potomac teams.
Potomac Robotics Teams Rank With The Best
On Sunday, the robotics team hosted a skills event aimed at the various teams' individual capabilities. Students competed in driver and programming skills challenges. Two Potomac teams in particular earned incredible scores. Team 12G is now ranked nineteenth in the world and second in Virginia, while team 12E is ranked twentieth in the world and third in Virginia. While rankings will likely shift as teams around the world compete in additional events, these are very impressive achievements.
The members of team 12G are John Djorup, Michael Djorup, Matthew Giuliano, Akash Gupta, Akshay Gupta, Christopher Kang, Arjun Kumar, and Jake Levingston. The members of team 12E are Ben Adolphe, Elie DeLaVille, Bryce Lukacs, Harper Malesardi, Max Wehner, and Jared White.
The members of team 12G are John Djorup, Michael Djorup, Matthew Giuliano, Akash Gupta, Akshay Gupta, Christopher Kang, Arjun Kumar, and Jake Levingston. The members of team 12E are Ben Adolphe, Elie DeLaVille, Bryce Lukacs, Harper Malesardi, Max Wehner, and Jared White.
Potomac Robotics Hosts Tournament
On January 13, the Potomac US Robotics team hosted a tournament in which a total of 42 teams participated. Notably, 12G was the only undefeated robotics team at the tournament, and there were a number of Potomac wins.
Teams 12A, 12F, and 12C were all 6–1, coming in at fourth, fifth, and sixth place respectively. Out of the top 14 teams, eight of them were from Potomac. 12 out of 14 Potomac teams competed in the quarterfinals. 12G and 12J were tournament Champions, which qualifies them for the State Championship and the US Open. 12T was a tournament finalist, but unfortunately this does not qualify them for the State Championship. 12G won the design award for their engineering notebook, which does qualify them. Team 12F tied for the second-highest driver skill as well as making third place in overall skills. Team 12J had the second-highest programming skill set and received fourth place in overall skills.
Teams 12A, 12F, and 12C were all 6–1, coming in at fourth, fifth, and sixth place respectively. Out of the top 14 teams, eight of them were from Potomac. 12 out of 14 Potomac teams competed in the quarterfinals. 12G and 12J were tournament Champions, which qualifies them for the State Championship and the US Open. 12T was a tournament finalist, but unfortunately this does not qualify them for the State Championship. 12G won the design award for their engineering notebook, which does qualify them. Team 12F tied for the second-highest driver skill as well as making third place in overall skills. Team 12J had the second-highest programming skill set and received fourth place in overall skills.
Potomac Shines At First Tournament Of The Year
Seven Potomac US robotics teams competed at the first tournament of the year this past weekend in Portsmouth, Virginia. Many teams performed excellently over the course of the day, and two teams (12E and 12F) came home with state championship qualifications.12E won the tournament's Excellence Award, signifying the overall best robot team and qualifying them for the state championship.12E was also a member of the Tournament Finalist alliance, as was team 12C.12F won the whole tournament as a member of the Tournament Champion alliance, which qualifies them for the state championship.12J also had an excellent performance as the second seed during the qualification matches, with a record of nine wins and one loss; they were the only Potomac team to beat the first seed team during qualifications.
New Girl Powered Page
With the Girl Powered initiative becoming such large part of Vex's program, we thought that it would be appropriate to include Potomac Robotic's work with the same ideas as the initiative. Check out the new page here!
2016-2017
Vex IQ Teams Participate at Worlds in Louisville, KY
Two IS robotics teams traveled to Louisville, KY, for the 2017 VEX Worlds, competing in the VEX IQ Middle School Division. The teams made it to this competition by excelling in a highly competitive Virginia qualifier. Team 10227, comprising 8th graders Rachael Fields, Julia Jackson, and Elisabeth Oskoui, qualified at the state level due to their fantastic STEM project on assistive technology for children with autism. Team 10227G, comprising 8th graders Michael Fields, Bryce Lukacs, and Cole Morehouse, qualified based on their robot's outstanding performance. Both teams enjoyed competing at Worlds; the experience of meeting and collaborating with teams from around the globe was invaluable.
Vex IQ Teams Participate at Worlds in Louisville, KY
Potomac's Upper School robotics team saw success at the U.S. Open National Championship, which took place in Council Bluffs, IA, from April 6-8.
Accomplishments from the event include the following:
Accomplishments from the event include the following:
- Teams 12A (seniors Randall Kliman, Krishna Kumar, and John Tofil), 12B (juniors Becca Crawley and Jasmine Terrones and freshman Jodie Kuo), 12E/F (sophomores Zoe Dubelier, Marshall Riccardi, James Jordan, Kenny Lin, Max Wehner, and Jared White), and 12G (sophomores Ben Adolphe, Matt Giuliano, Jake Levingston, Arjun Kumar, and freshman Akshay Gupta) advanced to the elimination rounds, with combined team 12E/F being the 4th seed alliance captain. Teams 12A and 12G joined these students as alliance members, eventually becoming the US Open champions along with 12E/F.
- Team 12B was part of a different alliance that came in second place
- Team 12A was also a finalist of the 1v1 tournament, Team 12E/F won the Amaze Award for their outstanding robot, and 12G was picked to be in the skills final competition
- Teams 12C (juniors Caroline Case, David Kiernan, and Amelia Mazloom), 12D (sophomores Whitney Bowen, Hollis Cutler, Eleanor Nuechterlein, and Anna Takis), 12X (freshmen Michael Djorup, Jun-Young Hong, Charlotte Ellis, Ethan Lee, and Kat Plaza), and 12Y (freshmen Amelia Cook, Harper Malesardi, Kelsey Norton, and Sarah Raman) also competed at the tournament, demonstrating their hard work from throughout the year
Two Potomac Teams Qualify for Worlds at States Tournament in Doswell, VA
During the two day States Tournament in Doswell, VA, two Vex IQ teams dominated and took home qualifications for Worlds. One team, 10227A, The Gear Gals, won the STEM Award for their computer game made to teach Autistic kids about reacting to emotions through sound and facial expressions. Another team, 10227G won the Tournament Champions Award, signifying their amazing ability to work with another team to score as many points as they can in a one-minute period of time. Along with the Worlds qualifications, team 12A was awarded the Innovate Award, 12X was awarded the Build Award, and 12Y was awarded the Sportsmanship Award. Although these awards are important in the path to winning excellence, they do not qualify them for the Worlds competition.
Potomac Teams Demonstrate Excellence in Design in Porstmouth, VA
For the duration of the first Saturday of December, Team 12 highlighted their intellectual inquiry, engineering designs, and compassionate spirit at the first of two tournaments hosted at Porsmouth this season. Every team performed very well, with 12J finishing second in the qualifications
2015-2016
Potomac Wows Judges at Woodbridge High School Tournament
In the final qualifying tournament before the Virginia State Championships, six Potomac teams competed hard for one of the nine opportunities to qualify for States. All teams fared well throughout the tournament -- displaying teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship -- and all teams moved on to the Elimination Rounds. Not dropping out of the top ten throughout qualifications due to an undefeated record, team 12F was the third seed alliance captain and advanced to the semifinals before falling in a tight few matches. Team 12D advanced to the semifinals as well, on the opposite side of the draw. Team 12G (pictured: Alan Vo) brought home the Judges Award.
February 2016
February 2016
VEX IQ Continues Success at Mayfield Intermediate Tournament
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In their second tournament of the season, the Potomac School Robotics seventh and eight grade teams not only competed well, but walked away with a few trophies. Facing teams all around Virginia, although most from around Manassas, teams displayed sportsmanship and determination, with two teams advancing to the elimination round. Team 10227B (Harper Malesardi, Kelsey Norton, Jacqueline McElroy) finished tenth in the initial teamwork ranking, but completed a strong showing at fifth place after alliance selections. Meanwhile, team 10227A (Ethan Lee, Michael Djorup, Kat Plaza, Jun-Young Hong) were finalists and based on their stellar engineering notebook, they won the design award. Congratulations to all teams for a great tournament!
January 2016
January 2016
VEX Teams Excel at Battle at the Bridge
Teams 12B and 12E (pictured), along with team 4303C, completed the Woodbridge competition as tournament champions in the third seeded alliance. 12E also received the Excellence Award for their performance in competition as well as roles outside of competition. 12A and 12C competed in quarterfinals in the fifth seeded alliance, but were eliminated when 12Z and the fourth seeded alliance advanced to semifinals. 12D competed in the second seeded alliance, advancing to semifinals before ultimately being eliminated by the third alliance. Overall, the Potomac teams competed very well at Woodbridge, with the lowest ranking of our teams after qualification rounds being just 32nd out of 62 teams.
December 2015
December 2015
VEX Teams Win Portsmouth Tournament
Team 12B (pictured) and 12D ended a long day of tough competition at the Portsmouth tournament as tournament champions in the third seeded alliance with 177X. Their victory qualifies both teams for the VEX State Championship in February. Other Potomac teams also excelled throughout the day. 12A finished qualification matches in 8th place and joined the fourth seeded alliance, but the team was eliminated in quarterfinals. 12C, although finishing in 30th place, competed in quarterfinals in the second seeded alliance, performing their strongest in the competitive elimination round. 12E finished 7th overall, advancing to semifinals in the fifth seeded alliance. 12Z also competed well in the eighth seeded alliance.
November 2015
November 2015
Potomac Tournament Inspires Teams for Future Competitions
Potomac hosted its annual VEX Robotics competition for local teams on October 31. Eight Potomac teams competed with 28 other local teams. 12B did particularly well, finishing qualification rounds in 2nd place out of 36 with a 7-0 record. 12B went on to be the 2nd seeded alliance captain, teaming up with 46B and 1575C to ultimately advance to semifinals. 12C, 12D, and 12Z also competed in elimination matches, but were eliminated in quarterfinals. Team 12C also received the Judge's Award for their demonstration of their build process to the judges and their sportsmanship throughout the day. This "home" tournament was the first tournament of the season for the Potomac teams; the teams all reflected on their performance the following week and created plans of action to improve their competition skills for the next tournament in Portsmouth, Nov. 21. See our gallery for more photos from this event.
October 2015
October 2015
Potomac Robotics Shares Program at MPA ArtFest
Over Columbus Day Weekend, high school teams from the Potomac Robotics Program joined forces at the McLean Project for the Arts ArtFest in Virginia to celebrate the intersection of both the arts and technology. Teams demonstrated the new challenge, and granted interested guests the opportunity to try driving the robots. Additionally, teams worked at an arts and crafts station, where visitors learned about the different parts of robots, including gears, and were able to get creative with their art projects. Thank you to all who visited and participated!
October 2015 | Local Events
October 2015 | Local Events
VEX IQ Teams Excel at Skills Competition
Congratulations to teams 10227A (Ethan Lee, Michael Djorup, Kat Plaza, Jun-Young Hong) and 10227B (Pictured above from right to left: Harper Malesardi, Kelsey Norton, Jacqueline McElroy) for earning high programming and driver skills scores at the Wakefield School Bank Shot Skills Day on October 3. Team 10227B earned the highest score in the programming skills challenge, while team 10227A placed second in the drivers skills challenge. Both teams qualified for the VEX IQ State Championship in February. The Skills Day worked to provide a friendly, yet competitive environment for skills challenges. The VEX IQ teams are currently preparing for their next competition in Manassas, VA, in December.
October 2015
October 2015
2014-2015
Robotics Team Presents at Smithsonian Space Day
Space Day, hosted in Washington D.C. at the Smithsonian Museum, is an annual event used to allow guests the opportunity to try topics in the field of STEM firsthand. Both the VEX and VEX IQ teams helped to present to a large group of interested families about the design and building process, as well as a hands-on demonstration to showcase the robotics program. During their presentation, teams spoke of hardships endured, and how through handwork and dedication, they were able to overcome.
May 2015 | Local Events
May 2015 | Local Events
U.S. Open Create Championship
Team 12G (C2433B) with their Tournament Finalists Award (Tyler Sanok, David Kiernan, and Alan Vo)
During this past week, seven of our teams travelled to Council Bluffs, IA for the U.S. Open Create Championships (previously known as Nationals). Our teams competed in two divisions, the High School VCR division and the Open Division. Congratulations to team 12G for their Tournament Finalist Award in the Open Division.
Upper School Girls Speak at the Girls In Technology Conference
On February 11, 2015, Ms. Jarratt and seven girls (Jessica Byun, Diya Nuxoll, Madeline Dubelier, Seyoung Hong, Jasmine Terrones, Emma Lee, and Becca Crawley) on the Potomac Upper School Robotics team spoke at the Girls in Technology (GIT) conference at the AT&T Solutions Building in Leesburg, VA. GIT is a program designed to create awareness, excitement, educate and inspire girls to the vast array of opportunities available to women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). During the conference, the girls talked about how robotics has shaped the way they problem-solve, the impact of robotics both inside and outside of school, and the importance of failure.
Learn more about GIT here.
February 2015 | Local Events
Learn more about GIT here.
February 2015 | Local Events
Robotics Team Excels at Portsmouth Tournament
Team 12 travelled to Portsmouth, VA and competed with 30 teams across the state. The team of Madeline Dubelier, Christine Giuliano, Esther Ha, and Lizzie Gidley (12D) were Tournament Champion while Jessica Byun and Diya Nuxoll (12A) won the Design Award.
February 2015
February 2015
VEX IQ Teams Excel at the Herndon Tournament
Congratulations to team 10227E (Kat Plaza, Kelly Dewberry, Michael Djorup, Hope Donovan, and Harry Malesardi) for their Excellence Award and Teamwork Champion Award and to team 10227C (Kelsey Norton, Jacqueline McElroy, and Harper Malesardi) for their STEM Research Award!
February 2015
February 2015
Robotics Team Excels at Annandale Tournament
Jessica Byun & Diya Nuxoll (12A) with their Design Award and Tournament Champion trophy.
Upper School students brought home a number of honors after competing against nearly 50 other teams from across the state at a robotics tournament in Annandale, VA on Saturday. All of Potomac's eight teams made it into the quarterfinals.
Potomac was able to qualify two more teams (12X and 12G) for the Virginia State Championship. The team of Jessica Byun and Diya Nuxoll (12A), and Will Ayres, Matt Jackson, and Randall Kliman (12X) were Tournament Champion Award. In addition, team 12A also won the Design Award. David Kiernan, Tyler Sanok, and Alan Vo qualified through the Tournament Finalists Award. Congratulations to all the participants!
January 2015
Potomac was able to qualify two more teams (12X and 12G) for the Virginia State Championship. The team of Jessica Byun and Diya Nuxoll (12A), and Will Ayres, Matt Jackson, and Randall Kliman (12X) were Tournament Champion Award. In addition, team 12A also won the Design Award. David Kiernan, Tyler Sanok, and Alan Vo qualified through the Tournament Finalists Award. Congratulations to all the participants!
January 2015
VEX IQ Teams Excel at the Annandale Tournament
Team 10227B with their STEM Research Award (left to right) James, Zoe, Jared, Margot
Congratulations to team 10227B (Zoe Dubelier, Jared White, James Jordan, and Margot Labrecque) for their STEM Research Award!
January 2015
January 2015
VEX IQ Teams Excel at the Manassas Park Tournament
From eighty qualifier matches, team 10227, the Potomac School IS team, had six of the top ten scoring teams heading into the finals. The teams won the Teamwork Award for achieving the highest score in the finals, the STEM Project Award for the best engineering research project, and the Excellence Award, the highest award given in the tournament. Congratulations to all the participants on such a great showing!
January 2015
January 2015
Building Indoor Snowmen
Before there was real snow outside, an Intermediate School robotics team used chemical engineering to make their own artificial snow. As a cross-divisional STEM lesson, team members Nicole Garibaldi (left) and Michelle Miller taught Mr. McEwen's second graders how to mix corn starch and lotion to create the artificial substance and build their own indoor snowmen!
January 2015 | Cross-Divisional Outreach
January 2015 | Cross-Divisional Outreach
A Tasty Constellation Lesson
Recently, members of the sixth grade robotics team, Robotic Rage, taught Ms. Yang's first graders a science lesson on constellations. Using mini marshmallows and toothpicks, students created replicas of constellations like Orion's Belt and the Big Dipper.
January 2015 | Cross-Divisional Outreach
January 2015 | Cross-Divisional Outreach
Intermediate School Girls Explore STEM Careers
Girls on the IS robotics team attended a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentoring event this week at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. They were introduced to mentors in each field, including nuclear scientists, astrophysicists, and even a metallurgist who brought a piece of the Titanic. The event was co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. Click here to read a blog post from the robotics team Gear Gals about their experience.
December 2014 | Local Events
December 2014 | Local Events
Robotics Team Excels at the Leesburg Tournament
Upper School students brought home a number of honors after competing against nearly 20 other teams from across the state at a robotics tournament in Leesburg on Saturday. In all, Potomac had seven robotics teams competing.
The team of Tyler Crowley, Matt Dungan, Kyle Sanok, and Matt Spencer (12C) was part of the alliance that won the tournament, qualifying for the Virginia state championships in February. Another team, made up of Jessica Byun and Diya Nuxoll (12A), also qualified for the state-level competition by advancing to the tournament finals; in addition, they earned the Design Award for an excellent engineering notebook and robot design. David Kiernan, Tyler Sanok, and Alan Vo (12G) won the Judges Award for being a great overall team. Potomac also walked away with the tournament's Sportsmanship Award. Congratulations to all the participants on such a great showing!
December 2014
The team of Tyler Crowley, Matt Dungan, Kyle Sanok, and Matt Spencer (12C) was part of the alliance that won the tournament, qualifying for the Virginia state championships in February. Another team, made up of Jessica Byun and Diya Nuxoll (12A), also qualified for the state-level competition by advancing to the tournament finals; in addition, they earned the Design Award for an excellent engineering notebook and robot design. David Kiernan, Tyler Sanok, and Alan Vo (12G) won the Judges Award for being a great overall team. Potomac also walked away with the tournament's Sportsmanship Award. Congratulations to all the participants on such a great showing!
December 2014
FLL Team chats with Katie Nagy from the Air & Space Museum
Members from Robotic Rage were able to asks their questions to Katie Nagy, Astronomy Education Program Manager at the Air & Space Museum, via video chat.
November 2014
November 2014
Robotics Team Excels at the Potomac Tournament
12D competes in a match; (left to right) Christine, Madeline, Esther
The Upper School robotics team of Jessica Byun and Diya Nuxoll (12A) won the Judges' Award for their performance and effort during the 35-team robotics tournament hosted by Potomac. Meanwhile, the team of Madeline Dubelier, Lizzie Gidley, Christine Giuliano, and Esther Ha (12D) advanced to the tournament finals, which qualifies them for the state championships later this fall. Overall, six Potomac teams advanced to at least the quarterfinals of the tournament.
October 2014
October 2014
Robotics Members Facilitate Programming Workshop
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Five of our members, Will Ayres, Jessica Byun, Lizzie Gidley, Randall Kliman, and Diya Nuxoll, facilitated a VEX Programming Workshop Hosted by SySTEMic Solutions, teaching the basics for ROBOTC.
For notes and videos from our workshop, click here.
For more information about SySTEMic Solutions, click here.
October 2014 | Local Events
For notes and videos from our workshop, click here.
For more information about SySTEMic Solutions, click here.
October 2014 | Local Events
2013-2014
VEX Season Flashbacks
VEX Toss Up was a great season for Team 12. Follow us on our journey here.
Sixth Grade Team 17391 at the Maryland State Championship!
The sixth grade robotics team, the GoBots, earned second place in robot design for its innovative and high-performing robot at the First Lego League Maryland State Championship on Saturday in Baltimore. Competing against 72 other teams, the GoBots—Kelly Dewberry, Michael Djorup, Hope Donovan, Jun-Young Hong, Ethan Lee, Harper Malesardi, Harry Malesardi, and Kat Plaza—were recognized for their exemplary engineering practices.
March 2014
March 2014
Teams Qualify for the World Championship
VEX IQ:
The eighth grade robotics team of Luke Nardini, Tyler Sanok, David Kiernan, and Alan Vo won the Virginia VEX IQ state championship last weekend, earning a spot in April's world championship in Anaheim, California. The seventh grade team of Simon McGraw and Max Wehner won the state’s STEM Presentation Award for its project on the center of gravity, while its robot finished in third place.
Other seventh graders also performed well at states, including Ben Adolphe, Akshay Gupta, Arjun Kumar, Trey Rachal, and Marshall Riccardi, who placed fifth in the robot competition. Zoe Dubelier, James Jordan, Margot Labrecque, Henry Page, and Jared White narrowly missed the finals.
VEX Robotics:
Four US robotics teams emerged from the field of 48 at Virginia's VEX IQ state championships to qualify for the world championships in Anaheim, Calif.: Lost Our Bearings, with Madeline Dubelier, Lizzie Gidley, Christine Giuliano, and Esther Ha; Charged With Battery, with Tyler Crowley, Matthew Dungan, Kyle Sanok, and Matt Spencer; This Side Up, with Jessica Byun, Nhu Nguyen, and Diya Nuxoll; and The A Team, with Sarah Chiang, Sidney Levingston, Serena Thoma, Tammy Vo, and Amy Zhang.
The A Team, Lost Our Bearings, and This Side Up qualified by advancing to the state semifinals in their respective elimination brackets, while Charged With Battery earned the Think Award and the highest autonomous all-around score for its robot programming and integration of sensors. This Side Up also won the Build Award for robot craftsmanship and construction.
February 2014
The eighth grade robotics team of Luke Nardini, Tyler Sanok, David Kiernan, and Alan Vo won the Virginia VEX IQ state championship last weekend, earning a spot in April's world championship in Anaheim, California. The seventh grade team of Simon McGraw and Max Wehner won the state’s STEM Presentation Award for its project on the center of gravity, while its robot finished in third place.
Other seventh graders also performed well at states, including Ben Adolphe, Akshay Gupta, Arjun Kumar, Trey Rachal, and Marshall Riccardi, who placed fifth in the robot competition. Zoe Dubelier, James Jordan, Margot Labrecque, Henry Page, and Jared White narrowly missed the finals.
VEX Robotics:
Four US robotics teams emerged from the field of 48 at Virginia's VEX IQ state championships to qualify for the world championships in Anaheim, Calif.: Lost Our Bearings, with Madeline Dubelier, Lizzie Gidley, Christine Giuliano, and Esther Ha; Charged With Battery, with Tyler Crowley, Matthew Dungan, Kyle Sanok, and Matt Spencer; This Side Up, with Jessica Byun, Nhu Nguyen, and Diya Nuxoll; and The A Team, with Sarah Chiang, Sidney Levingston, Serena Thoma, Tammy Vo, and Amy Zhang.
The A Team, Lost Our Bearings, and This Side Up qualified by advancing to the state semifinals in their respective elimination brackets, while Charged With Battery earned the Think Award and the highest autonomous all-around score for its robot programming and integration of sensors. This Side Up also won the Build Award for robot craftsmanship and construction.
February 2014
Potomac Tournament
Our robotics team hosted a great robotics tournament on Saturday. Throughout the day, 40 teams across Virginia competed against each other in order to qualify for the State tournament. Of the 24 teams in the eliminations, 7 out of our 8 teams made it to the quarterfinals. Two of our Potomac teams (12A & 12D) ended as tournament finalists. One of our teams (12G) won the Design Award which demonstrates the engineering process and documentation the team has had through out the whole season. Another team (12C) won the Excellence Award which is awarded to the best over all team.
Thank you so much to all the volunteers and students who helped make this event such a success!
February 2014
Thank you so much to all the volunteers and students who helped make this event such a success!
February 2014
Fairfax Tournament
Our teams had another very successful tournament! Two more teams were able to qualify for states. Team 12X became tournament champions, and teams 12D and 12E were tournament finalists. Team 12D also won the design award.
February 2014
February 2014
Chesterfield Tournament
The competition at Chesterfield was really successful for our teams. Six of our eight teams made it into eliminations, and two teams were tournament champions! (12A & 12C).
January 2014
January 2014
Roanoke Tournament
The Roanoke Competition for our teams was a great success! We had 3 teams win qualifying spots to the State Championship! The winning alliance consisted two of our teams, 12A and 12C. Team 12D won the Excellence Award and was also a tournament finalist. So far, we have 4 of our robotics team qualified for the State Championship.
January 2014
January 2014
Loudoun Tournament
During our last competition in Loudon, where we had 4 teams compete, all teams again, were in the eliminations. Team 12D was a finalist which qualified them for states. Here is a quote from the head referee to our head coach regarding our teams: “I just wanted to say congrats on another slot for the state championship. I also wanted to comment on how professional your students were during the competition even when faced with adversity. They were all quite respectful when it come to the rulings on the field…something some other teams were not.” A wonderful comment from the head referee about our students!
January 2014
January 2014
Team 10227E Excellence Award
Team 10227E with their Excellence Award and Teamwork Award; (left to right) Alan, Luke, David, Tyler
IS robotics teams displayed skill and sportsmanship at Virginia’s first VEX IQ Challenge tournament last weekend. The eighth grade team of David Kiernan, Luke Nardini, Tyler Sanok, and Alan Vo (team 10227E) took top honors, winning the Excellence Award, the tournament's highest prize, and the Teamwork Award.
The five seventh grade teams, competing in their first VEX tournament, made an impressive debut, with two placing in the finals and two narrowly missing a spot. Congratulations to Ben Adolphe, Zoe Dubelier, Akshay Gupta, James Jordan, Arjun Kumar, Margot Labrecque, Simon McGraw, Henry Page, Trey Rachal, Marshall Riccardi, Max Shenkman, Max Wehner, and Jared White.
All six IS robotics teams will compete in the Virginia's state championship in February!
The five seventh grade teams, competing in their first VEX tournament, made an impressive debut, with two placing in the finals and two narrowly missing a spot. Congratulations to Ben Adolphe, Zoe Dubelier, Akshay Gupta, James Jordan, Arjun Kumar, Margot Labrecque, Simon McGraw, Henry Page, Trey Rachal, Marshall Riccardi, Max Shenkman, Max Wehner, and Jared White.
All six IS robotics teams will compete in the Virginia's state championship in February!