A county in Virginia that is best known for its National D-Day Memorial and scenic outdoor recreation can also boast about training the country’s top drone pilots. Three Bedford County schools racked up high scores in the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation’s (RECF) Regional Aerial Drone Competition held recently in Fairmont, West Virginia.

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Forest Middle School, and Jefferson Forest High School sent eight teams to the contest and came away with an average win rate in the top 10%.

STEM teacher, and leader of the Forest Middle School’s drone team, Cindy Watson, earned the distinction as the “Coach of the Year.” While Watson directs the group’s efforts, she credits their victories to the students that mentor their peers.

“Watching older students mentor younger students sets us up for a better future in every facet of life. Learning from each other is the primary pathway to future success,” Watson said.     

A stand-out performance came from pilot Bennett Litchfield and coder Aiden Smith of Forest Middle School.  The pair won the northeast regional championship in the “skills missions” category. Litchfield’s points from the piloting competition were the highest in the nation – not just at the middle school level, but also in the high school category! The two were wearing silicone bracelets emblazoned with the phrase “May the Forest be with you.”

NASA gave the students a glimpse into their potential futures when it flew a prototype of its “Dragonfly” drone – which might, one day, fly on Saturn’s moon Titan.

When the dust settled from their drone aircraft, the eight teams from Bedford County finished the World Skills ranking (combining piloting and coding) of the RECF as follows:

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

* Out of 683 Schools

• Team 1 – Rank # 42 (top 6%)
• Team 2 – Rank # 135 (top 19.7%)

Forest Middle School

* Out of 683 Schools

• “Speeding Wombats” – Rank # 2 (top 0.2%)
• “Kindness Squad – Rank # 51 (top 7.4%)
• “Sky High” – Rank # 144 (top 21%)

 Jefferson Forest High School

* Out of 839 Schools

• “Omega” – Rank # 27 (top 3.2%)
• “Mercury” – Rank # 84 (top 10%)
• “Skyline” – Rank # 139 (top 16.6%)

Finding the funding for their drone teams is a challenge as difficult as the competitions they participate in. The Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV) supported these schools as part of its Teacher’s Grant Program. Each of these Bedford County schools received a $500 grant after submitting their proposals, and a final report on their outcomes, to the DOAV. All of the Commonwealth’s K-12 educators are eligible to receive this funding, which aims to bring aviation into classrooms. More information on this grant can be found at doav.virginia.gov.

The DOAV congratulates the teachers and students in Bedford County and all the winners from the Regional Aerial Drone Competition.