Jessica Gleason and Karrie Meyers – Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Mile High Academy (MHA) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, proudly hosted its annual Middle School Robotics Tournament, February 1, welcoming seven teams from across the region for a full day of innovation and friendly competition. The event was held in partnership with FIRST LEGO League and Adventist Robotics, with sponsorship from the Mid-America Union Conference, the Rocky Mountain Conference, and MHA.

The tournament began with team registration, followed by robot design presentations, innovation project sharing, and judging. The live robot competition kicked off at 12:45 p.m., culminating in an awards ceremony that celebrated teamwork and creativity while showcasing engineering excellence.

Several teams were recognized for their outstanding performance:

  • Core Values Award: Royal Robotics (Minnetonka Christian Academy, Minnesota)
  • Innovation Award: Robostangs (MHA, Colorado)
  • Robot Design Award: HMS Robo Squad (HMS Richards Adventist School, Colorado)
  • Robot Performance Award: EnginEagles Green (Vista Ridge Academy, Colorado)
  • Champions Award: EnginEagles Green (Vista Ridge Academy, Colorado)

The top two teams, EnginEagles Green and Royal Robotics, qualified to advance to the next level of competition, which will be held May 3 in Florida.

Students shared their enthusiasm for the experience throughout the day.

“I think we’ve done amazingly well, and I love to be part of this team,” said Bentley G., a seventh grader at MHA.

Joshua E., a sixth grader from HMS Richards, added, “My favorite part of the tournament is how they complete the missions.”

For Gali S., a fifth grader from HMS Richards, the event was about connection and teamwork. “My favorite part is seeing all the people and doing all the competitions with the team.”

MHA student Maddie M., a seventh grader, highlighted the design process, saying, “The best part of the MHA robot design is the square design because it just makes it a lot easier to do a lot more things.”

Jessica Gleason, MHA vice principal and the tournament event coordinator, emphasized the broader impact of robotics programs. “Being part of a robotics team teaches students far more than engineering skills,” Gleason said. “They learn collaboration, perseverance, problem-solving, and confidence. We truly enjoy welcoming these teams to our campus and seeing students support and learn from one another. Hosting this tournament is a highlight for our school, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year on February 7, 2027.”

—Jessica Gleason is the vice principal and Karrie Meyers Karrie Meyers is the marketing and development coordinator at Mile High Academy. Photos supplied by Jessica Gleason.