CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – St. Anne’s-Belfield School Grade 8 robotics team “Next Level” has advanced to the FIRST LEGO Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas, from April 29 to May 2.
A St. Anne’s release said the team will showcase its talents and compete against other robotics teams from across the world.
The team qualified after strong showings at local and regional competitions this fall, earning their spot among the top competitors in the country.
Team members include Abby Reed, Eliza Powers, Dorina Evans, Ellie Canoles, Noah Cohoon, James Drescher, Spencer Boyd, and John B. The team was coached by Kiernan Lofland and Robbie Munsey, K-8 Computer Science Coordinator at St. Anne’s-Belfield.
“Going to Worlds has been our goal since we were in sixth grade, so qualifying again this year is really exciting for us,” said Eliza Powers, a member of Next Level. “We were so excited to make it last year, and we’ve worked really hard because returning to Worlds was our number one goal this season. Every competition helped us get better, and we can’t wait to compete again with teams from around the world.”
The release said the “Next Level” team has been perfecting their robot and programming skills for the past year in preparation for this opportunity.
Within the FLL division, approximately 160 teams from around the world qualify to compete at the World Championship, representing top teams from U.S. states as well as leading teams from other countries, as part of the broader FIRST Championship event.
“This moment reflects years of building a strong robotics program and a culture that values persistence and preparation,” shared Robbie Munsey. “Each season builds on the last, and students are challenged to deepen both their technical skills and research-based problem-solving. The time, effort, and commitment they bring to this work over multiple years is what makes opportunities like the world championship possible.”
Last year, St. Anne’s-Belfield “Next Level” team won top honors for robot design at the 2025 FIRST Championship in Houston.
