NSWC Dahlgren Division Middle School Innovation Challenge

Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) and its partners are expanding the innovation challenges from college and high school students and industry professionals to the next generation of scientists and engineers – middle schoolers.
On Feb. 10, about 120 students will compete for the title of champion in the Innovation Challenge @ Dahlgren: Middle School Robotics at the University of Mary Washington (UMW), Fredericksburg Regional Military Affairs Council, King George Economic Development Authority, The MITRE Corporation and SimVentions.
Sixteen teams from 13 schools representing 12 school districts will program their robots to navigate a territory on a map. Students come from schols spanning from Stafford to the Northern Neck: A.G. Wright, Caroline, Colonial Beach, Culpeper, T. Benton Gayle, King George, Montross, Northumberland, Richmond County, Thornburg, Walker-Grant Middle Schools, Dahlgren School, James H. Cary Intermediate School and Washington District Elementary School.
NSWCD STEM mentors, advocates and volunteers will provide students missions ranging from rescue to chemical cleanup that are graded throughout the day. The division will announce the champion who will take home a plaque to their school and individual plaques for the tem members. Each school will get a LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Set.