By DESIRRE GHEBREMICAEL, Contributor

The young innovators of Laura Welch Bush Elementary have made history with an incredible robotics season, as two of their teams—Kinetic Komets (4th graders) and Supermassive Black Holes (5th graders)—dominated competitions at every level, from

qualifiers to the Texas State Championship. Their dedication, creativity, and perseverance have now earned them an invitation to the prestigious WPI WafflE Tournament, an international event showcasing the best young robotics minds from around the world.

A competition of strategy, innovation and teamwork

The FIRST LEGO League Challenge is far more than just a robotics competition—it is a

rigorous test of problem-solving and engineering skills that evaluates teams in four key

Categories:

Innovation Project – Developing real-world solutions to global challenges 

Robot Design – Engineering and programming an autonomous robot 

Core Values – Demonstrating teamwork, inclusion, and innovation 

Robot Game & Strategy – Scoring points by completing missions on a competition

Field 

Both LWBE teams demonstrated excellence across all areas, proving their ability to engineer solutions, strategize under pressure, and work together as a team.

Kinetic Komets #16051
Landy Zhang
Max Kumar
Rishi Putta
Lucas Grime
Shinuo Fang
Ariana Ghebremicael
Avigail Kalderon
Shivani Kumar
Coaches: Michael Zhang,
Rama Putta, Nidhi Kumar

Kinetic Komets – A season of growth and achievement

Guided by their dedicated coaches Rama Putta, Michael Zhang, and Nidhi Kumari, the Kinetic Komets thrived throughout the season, consistently improving and demonstrating outstanding teamwork.

“Our team spent hours perfecting our design,” shared Ariana Ghebremicael, Kinetic Komet team member. “It wasn’t always easy, but every time we improved the robot, we got more excited about what we were creating.”

Coach Rama Putta reflected on the team’s progress: “These students embraced challenges with enthusiasm and showed remarkable growth. Seeing their hard work pay off has been truly Rewarding.”

Qualifier (Pflugerville): Champion’s Award – 2nd Place | 205 Points → Advanced to Regionals

Regionals (San Antonio): Core Values Award – 2nd Place | 280 Points → Advanced to State

State Championship: Breakthrough Award (for perseverance and outstanding growth) |

305 Points

Supermassive Black Holes – A season of innovation and excellence

Supermassive Black Holes #16056
Aria Kiran
Dravin Sankar
Rush Bartlett
Anthony Canova
Jacob Chen
Achal Madapaty
Vihan Kumar
Coaches:
Prashanth Kumar,
Chris Canova,
Anusha Ganeshan

Under the leadership of coaches Prashanth Kumar, Chris Canova, and Anusha Ganeshan, the Supermassive Black Holes consistently showcased their technical and strategic abilities, earning multiple accolades.

“We started the season with so many questions about how to make our ideas work,” said Vihan Kumar, one of the Supermassive Black Hole team members. “By the time we got to State, we felt like we had built something that could really make a difference.”

Coach Kumar emphasized the importance of teamwork: “These students demonstrated resilience, problem-solving skills, and a deep passion for robotics. It’s incredible to see them grow into confident engineers.”

Qualifier (Pflugerville): Champion’s Award – 3rd Place | 245 Points → Advanced to Regionals

Regionals (San Antonio): Robot Game Award – 3rd Place | 350 Points → Advanced to State

State Championship: Innovation Award (for creative problem-solving and engineering

excellence) | 390 Points

A journey to the international stage

After months of dedication and competition, both teams have been invited to the WPI WafflE Tournament, an international event hosted by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) that brings together the brightest young robotics minds from across the globe. The tournament fosters STEM learning, real-world problem-solving, and collaboration with international teams, providing an unparalleled opportunity for students to receive expert feedback and showcase their work on a global stage.

“This experience has been incredible,” said one parent. “These kids have learned so much—not just about engineering and coding, but about resilience, teamwork, and thinking outside the box. Watching them grow and succeed has been amazing.”

Another parent reflected on the journey: “From their first brainstorming session to standing on the State Championship stage, it’s been inspiring to see them push boundaries, solve challenges, and support one another.”

Looking ahead

With an already historic season behind them, the future is bright for these young innovators.

Their achievements have not only put Laura Welch Bush Elementary on the map in the world of robotics but have also inspired their peers to dream big, work hard, and embrace the challenges of STEM.

Their success serves as a reminder that with passion and determination, even the youngest minds can achieve greatness.