07-04-2025
South Martinsburg Middle School robotics team heads to Texas for world championships
MARTINSBURG, () — Some enterprising middle school students are on their way to a world robotics competition – a source of pride, not only for the school and local community, but the students as well.
This is the third year the students' robotics excellence has taken Martinsburg South Middle School from a classroom to the world stage. As teacher Sharon Mason tells it, the experience could well be one where the teacher learns from the students.
'I got interested in robotics just coming into the classroom and hanging out,' says Mason. 'It was interesting to watch the kids work the robots and then I found they built them on their own and I was sold!'
Leesburg man selects $1 million cash option after winning lottery game
Mason now helps to coach the award-winning robotics team as the students prepare for their international showdown.
Cindy Evarts, a faculty member, mentors the students.
'They are so special,' said Evarts. 'They work together amazingly. They are totally student-driven. And they're just a great team. They have personality. They just have it all. They're awesome.'
Robotics student Thierno Bah calls the teamwork 'a cool experience, like putting your best against somebody else's best and just having fun.'
For eighth grader Olive Bird, 'it's like we're a little family. We just hang out and we know a lot about each other and we love each other so much.'
The team heads to Dallas for the World Robotics Championships next month.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
