School Robotics Team Competes In Boston
Somersfield Academy’s Robotics Team competed against over 60 regional high school and university teams at the Framingham Robotics Tournament in Boston.
A spokesperson said, “Somersfield Academy’s Robotics Team marked a significant milestone on February 8 with its return to international competition for the first time since 2019. The team competed at the Framingham Robotics Tournament in Boston, Massachusetts, facing more than 60 high school and university teams from across the region.
“The competition followed an intensive preparation period that began in November. Students trained using the VEX V5 metal system — a new platform for the team — during weekly 90-minute co-curricular sessions. Many competing teams had been preparing since May, committing up to ten hours per week.
“Despite the compressed timeline, Somersfield students demonstrated resilience and adaptability. Arriving in Boston with their robot still under development, the team completed final builds and refinements ahead of competition. Additional preparation took place at Walsh School, where Somersfield students were granted early access to facilities and collaborated with local teams who shared tactical insights and design feedback.
“Saturday’s competition featured a highly competitive field and an exceptional standard of robotics performance. After overcoming early technical and strategic challenges, the team steadily improved throughout the qualifying rounds. On Sunday, following final adjustments and inspection approval, Somersfield surged to 10th place in the second qualifying round and ultimately climbed to 8th overall out of 31 teams in their division.
“The team formed an alliance for the knockout stages and advanced to the quarterfinals, concluding a strong showing in their first international appearance in seven years.”
“This competition was about more than rankings,” said Russell Peters, IB Physics Teacher and Head of Robotics Co-curricular at Somersfield Academy. “Our students had to learn a new engineering system in a matter of weeks, problem-solve under pressure, and collaborate at a very high level. Their growth over the course of the weekend was remarkable, and this result reflects their perseverance, technical skill, and teamwork. After being away from international competition for seven years, it was exciting to return, and we’re already looking forward to next year.”
Mateusz Dudek-Mealy ’32, reflected on the experience: “My favourite bit was the day of the competition. I enjoyed seeing all the different robots and designs from the other teams. Visiting Walsh School was cool — they let us practise in their robotics lab. I’m inspired to do more with robotics and I want to compete again next year.”
The spokesperson said, “The Somersfield Robotics Team included:
- Ruston Selley ’32 – Design and Build
- Mateusz Dudek-Mealy ’32 – Design and Build
- G’en Bell ’31 – Design and Build
- Colton Kearns ’30 – Programming [including Autonomous]
- Evan Nappée ’30 – Driver
“The team’s performance signals a strong return to international robotics competition and underscores Somersfield Academy’s continued commitment to innovation, applied learning, and global engagement.”
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