The Chesterfield Central High School robotics team, the Iron Eagles, punched their ticket to the FIRST Robotics National Championship after a dominant performance at the state finals in Richmond last weekend.

The 22-member team, led by seniors Priya Patel and Marcus Johnson, designed a robot capable of autonomously sorting and stacking cargo containers — this year s competition challenge — with 98% accuracy.

"These students have been meeting every day after school since September," said faculty advisor Dr. Rachel Kim. "Their dedication is extraordinary."

The team is now fundraising $15,000 to cover travel costs to the national competition in Houston this April. Local businesses interested in sponsoring can contact the school directly.