Xavier High engineering team tops in contest

MIDDLETOWN — The Xavier Engineering team returned home early Monday morning from April vacation with the two biggest prizes in the world of high school engineering.

The team of four seniors and three sophomores won the international championship and the national championship at the Real World Design Challenge National Event in Washington, D.C., Saturday.

It was the first international championship for the group, which includes seniors Roham Hussain, Noah McGuinness, Vincent Salabarria and Anthony Tedeschi, and sophomores Carter Chase, Akshay Khunte and Alex Pralea. Xavier has won the national championship twice in the last three years, according to a press release.

“These seven young men have taken what they have learned, used their imagination, created a profitable concept and put their idea up against the world,” Xavier Headmaster David Eustis said in a statement. “To be named world champions is a credit to their hard work. The community at Xavier is now known globally for what these young men accomplished. I can’t even begin to describe the pride I have in them.”

As part of the competition, the group designed an efficient low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle capable of spraying pesticide over 10 percent of a 2-by-2mile cornfield. In an 80 page-technical report, the team had to prove the viability of this design, theory of operation and business case. The team, which used concepts they learned in the classroom, outscored the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands to win the U.S. National Championship and then defeated the Chinese National Championship team for the international title.

“Once again, Xavier’s Engineering Team has achieved phenomenal success,” Xavier Principal Brendan Donohue said in the statement. “This is a testament to the talent and determination of the young men who have dedicated so much time and effort to this project. I am also very grateful to Mr. Shannon Copeland for his guidance and to the mentors from Pratt and Whitney for their expert advice. Xavier is blessed to have such a great combination of talent and support.”

Contributed photo Xavier High School’s engineering team won the top prize in the international competition this past weekend.