By: Reagan Morrow

In April, Bellbrook’s Drone teams, Monkey Brains and Hog Flyers, went to Florida for the 2022 Drones in School – MultiGP STEM Alliance National Race. Each team got to bring something home. Monkey Brain — with members Anthony Jiovani, Isaac Lefeld, Kevin Pray, Harrison Shupe, Lucas Smallwood, Ayden Volmer, Colton Warren — won the overall competition and best video. Hog Flyers — with members Hamilton Bridges, Camden Caldwell, Aaron Hodson, Jonathan Martin, Dylan Plemen, Paul Smith, Jack Sauer — won best engineering and design.

According to senior Isaac Lefeld, “We actually are not the first drone team from Bellbrook. There was a team two years ago but they didn’t go to Nationals because it was the same weekend as prom.” The teams are advised by Mr. Lambright. They started working on drones over the winter in the aerospace engineering class because it was too cold to fly the planes. By spring, they decided to continue working on the drone team in the hopes of winning Nationals. Lefeld said, “Our team almost felt like it was a senior project. It was very important to us that we did well because this is Mr. Lambright’s last year teaching engineering classes. We wanted to end the year National champs to serve as our final gift to him  for all of the wisdom he has instilled in us.”

The seniors hope that their national victory can build a legacy of successful drone teams from Bellbrook. If anyone is interested in being a part of a drone team next year, they can contact Paul Smith who has already begun preparing for the 2023 national championship in Denver.