"Thomas Shields,13 and his teammates of Theodore, Alabama , (not shown) gives President Barack Obama a demonstration in robotics in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on April 22, 2013. This team won BEST Robotics As the smallest middle school in a field of 57 competitors that were mostly high schools, odds were against the St Vincent de Paul BEST Robotics Team from Theodore, Alabama. Yet their remarkable robot, ""Vator"" (short for Ele-Vator), which was designed to mimic space elevators by carrying cargo up a 10 foot pole, emerged triumphant, winning a 1st Place Robot Award. For Victoria Fletcher (13), Rush Lyons (14), Thomas Shields (13) and their teammates, the experience of designing a product and marketing it to judges not only reinforced the value of teamwork, but demonstrated the applications that science and math can have on Earth and beyond. President Barack Obama hosts the White House Science Fair to celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country."
{"Image ImageDescription": "WASHINGTON DC: APRIL 22\nThomas Shields,13 and his teammates of Theodore, Alabama , (not shown) gives President Barack Obama a demonstration in robotics in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on April 22, 2013.\n\nThis team won BEST Robotics\nSmall school achieves heavy lift: As the smallest middle school in a field of 57 competitors that were mostly high schools, odds were against the St Vincent de Paul BEST Robotics Team from Theodore, Alabama. Yet their remarkable robot, ?Vator? (short for Ele-Vator), which was designed to mimic space elevators by carrying cargo up a 10 foot pole, emerged triumphant, winning a 1st Place Robot Award. For Victoria Fletcher (13), Rush Lyons (14), Thomas Shields (13) and their teammates, the experience of designing a product and marketing it to judges not only reinforced the value of teamwork, but demonstrated the applications that science and math can have on Earth and beyond.\nPresident Barack Obama hosts the White House Science Fair to celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country. \n(Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images)", "Image Copyright": "2013 The Washington Post"}