Tech & Robotics Awards
Though not even officially marketed as a STEM or STEAM-based school, MMS is the only school in Wisconsin to have won the coveted National STEM Challenge in Game Design, the only school in the nation to have two students win in the same year, 2017, and the first school in the nation to win in two separate years, 2012 & 2017.
Our computer science curriculum is so advanced that the National Association of Independent Schools recognized us as one of the “Schools of the Future.” In fact, even in 2020, while students were working remotely from home, we had an MMS student who became the national winner of the LocoRobo Drone design competition!
At MMS, we consider ourselves creative pioneers in the area of student robotics. While we have teams blazing trails and winning national awards with their land, aquatic, and aerial robots, we are also the creators of the first international, indoor drone racing competition. Read more at www.wisconsindroneracing.com!
2024 - 2025
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE ROBOTICS TEAM
MMS Team #938 Elemental Robots:
5th grade: Estelle B., Nandini P., Novika P., Bennet S., Lauren W.
6th grade: Winnifred B., Michael R.
7th grade: Weston U.
8th grade: Aayan P.
Riverside Regional Robotics Competition
- 1st place Innovation Project Award
- Invitation to Waukesha Sectionals
Waukesha Sectionals
- 2nd place Robot Design Award
- Advanced to State Championship (one of only 28 Wisconsin teams out of 300).
2023 - 2024
Ice Storm Drone Racing Competition
- First Place Student Team: Pilots Michael R. and Aayan P., Pit Crew Elijah T. and Rishaan G.
2022 - 2023
Ice Storm Drone Racing Competition
- First Place Student Team: Pilots Joaquin S. and Saif G., Pit Crew Michael S. and Jacob T.
2020 - 2021
LocoRobo National Drone Design Competition
3rd Place
- Isabella S., 7th Grade
2019 - 2020
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE Marquette Regional
November 2019
Both of our Robotics Teams placed at the FLL Marquette Regional this year, which includes an invitation to the FLL Mukwonago Sectional!
1st Place Award for Most Innovative Solution: Automatrons
- Isabella S., 6th Grade
- Audrey M., 7th Grade
- Gabriela S., 4th Grade
- Gisela A., 6th Grade
- McKenzie A., 4th Grade
- Katie K., 7th Grade
- Isabelle R., 7th Grade
- Diya N., 5th Grade
Teamwork Award: Elemental Robots
- Asa K., 7th Grade
- Trevyn N., 6th Grade
- Harry L., 6th Grade
- Sebastian P., 8th Grade
- Brody H., 8th Grade
- Cameron H., 6th Grade
- Saif G., 5th Grade
Drobots International Drone Competition
Fall 2019
Our Drone Team, The Cheese Bees, won first place in this international drone dancing competition!
They were scored on creativity, code modularity and completeness, synchronization of drone choreography, adherence to time, teamwork, and troubleshooting. Our team placed a full 11 and a half points above the second place team, winning this international competition with their first venture in drone competing!
2018 - 2019
SeaPerch Robotics International Challenge
May 2019
The Krusty Krabz ranked 68th out of 200 teams. They scored 30th in the world for their Engineering Notebook which is the best MMS has ever done at a SeaPerch competition.
The Angry Anglers placed 87th out of 200 teams. They were the youngest MMS team ever to go to the International Challenge. They improved their obstacle course by a minute and five seconds, which is very impressive for such an intense competition.
The challenge was an incredible learning experience and a celebration of their accomplishments thus far. The students also had the privilege of meeting teams from around the world and touring the University of Maryland and Washington D.C.
SeaPerch Robotics MKE Regional
April 2019
This regional tournament was an awesome display of hard work and perserverance from the Milwaukee Montessori School SeaPerch teams. The Triggers consistently improved. The Krusty Krabz received the First Place Presentation Award, the First Place Obstacle Award and an invitation to the International SeaPerch Competition in June! The Angry Anglers, the youngest MMS robotics team, finished second overall and are on their way with the Krusty Krabz to the SeaPerch International Competition.
FIRST LEGO League State Competition
February 2019
For the third time this season, MMS won the FIRST-Place Presentation Award at the state competition for their robot the Cozmo Cap. The students designed the cap to wash astronauts’ hair while they’re in space. It holds water and recycles it back into the International Space Station’s water system.
FIRST LEGO League Sectional Competition
December 2018
Received the following awards and nominations:
- FIRST-Project Presentation Award
- Nomination for Innovative Solution Award
The team also qualified for STATE Championship!
FIRST LEGO League Regional Competition
November 2018
MMS students received four nominations and a FIRST-Place Presentation Award!
2017 - 2018
International SeaPerch ROV Challenge
June 2018
The Tenacious Tunas ranked 35th in the world, and the Sea Dragons ranked 53rd out of 110 teams. Way to go students!
SeaPerch Regional Round Two
March 2018
The Furious Fins, Aqua Turtles, Tenacious Tunas, and Sea Dragons all swept the Middle School class away at the MKE SeaPerch Regional! The Tenacious Tunas received an invitation to the International SeaPerch competition in Massachusetts, meaning they will be joining the Sea Dragons in June!
1st Place Middle School Overall: Sea Dragons
2nd Place Middle school Overall: Tenacious Tunas
3rd Place Overall: Aqua Turtles
4th Place Overall Middle School: Furious Fins
MMS has the best SeaPerch Middle School teams in the state of Illinois and Wisconsin out of 83 competing Middle School Teams!
Great Lakes Navy SeaPerch Robotics Regional
March 2018
Shout out to Coach Jaime for bringing out the best in each of the teams that competed!
Engineering Notebook-
2nd-Aqua Turtles
4th- Sea Dragons
5th-Tenacious Tunas
11th-Furious Fins
Obstacle Course-2nd: Sea Dragons
Puzzle Platform- 2nd: Sea Dragons
Middle School Champs Trophy: Sea Dragons
FIRST LEGO League State Championship
February 2018
The Elemental Robots were nominated for the Gracious Professionalism Award.
“Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It’s a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.”
FIRST LEGO League Sectionals
December 2017
The Elemental Robots were nominated for:
- Strategic Innovative Robot Award and Gracious Professionalism Award
- Qualify for State
- Automatrons-on-Deck State Qualifying Team
Naval Air Forces’ Distinguished Visitor Embark Program
October 2017
Demonstrating such success at this year’s competition and due to her outstanding leadership, Ms. Jaime Wszelaki earned the attention of her mentor, who nominated her for the Naval Air Forces’ Distinguished Visitor (DV) Embark Program and, deservedly, she was accepted.
Here are some highlights:
- Fly to San Diego Navel Base
- Navy C-2 Transport plane ride to a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
- Spend 26 hours learning, touring, and sleeping on the aircraft carrier
- As a “Distinguished Educator”, she will dine with the commanding officers
2016 - 2017
National STEM Challenge Award
July 2017
The gaming designs of 10 year old Zoe P. of Milwaukee and 11 year old Himani C. of Waukesha emerged from 3,000 student entries to become winners in the middle school division of 5th through 8th graders in the National STEM Video Game Challenge competition in New York City, NY. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.
2015 - 2016
FIRST LEGO League WI Qualifying Tournament
November 2015
Elemental Robots – Champions Award for the team that embodies the FLL experience and embraces its core values
Automatrons
- Teamwork Award recognizing inspiration and extraordinary enthusiasm
- Gracious Professionalism Award recognizing high-quality work, mutual respect, and value for each other and the community
- Research Award recognizing innovative solutions and comprehensive research
- Judges Award recognizing unique qualities, effort, and overall dynamic performance
Navy Regional Competition in Great Lakes, Illinois
March 19, 2016
The Tenacious Tunas and their submarine, the USS Macaroni, qualified for the SeaPerch National Competition.
U.S. Navy SeaPerch National Competition
May 20 & 21
The team finished 39th in the world with an astounding 320,000 participating at the national challenge.
2013 - 2014
FIRST LEGO League Regional Tournament
November 17, 2013
Won the Presentation award which recognizes a team that most effectively communicates the project’s identified problem and their proposed solution.
The MMS team was nominated for 5 out of 11 awards:
- Champion’s Award
- Innovative Solution Award
- Research Award
- Teamwork Award
2012 - 2013
Education Challenge Grant Winner
2012
Milwaukee Montessori School was one of the first recipients of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Foundation’s Education Challenge Grant. Educators received a grant to launch and implement Digging Peace! Demonstrations of Learning in 3D Gaming Environments, a video game-based program that recognizes the power of entertainment software to engage children in deep learning.
Using Minecraft, a 3D building game, and The Peace Game, a history and problem-solving game developed by award-winning teacher and educational consultant John Hunter, the Digging Peace! Demonstrations of Learning in 3D Gaming Environments program will provide students in grades 4 – 8 with a 3D game environment to demonstrate learning in history, science, language arts, and mathematics. It will also provide a critical link between academics and arts programs by enhancing the school’s existing game design curriculum.