Braddock LEGO Eggos Win Top Honors at Maryland FIRST LEGO League State Championships

CUMBERLAND, Md. — March 11, 2026 — Allegany County Public Schools was well represented at the Maryland FIRST LEGO League (FLL) State Championships, held at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Robotics and Engineering in Allegany County Together, Inc. (REACT) Teams from Braddock Middle School, West Side Elementary School, and Frostburg/Mount Savage Middle School competed at the event, with one squad earning special recognition. The ACPS teams were joined at the State Championships by fellow REACT team, Bishop Walsh School.

The Braddock LEGO Eggos received the Core Values Finalist Award. 

According to FLL, the award honors the team that best embodies the spirit of the program through enthusiasm, sportsmanship, respect for teammates and support for others. It recognizes teams that champion the principle that groups are stronger together, with a focus on discovery, innovation, inclusion, teamwork and fun throughout the competition.

Faith Cotton, head coach of the Braddock team, praised the energy her athletes brought to the competition. “The LEGO Eggos bring so much joy and energy everywhere they go,” Cotton said. “Their goofiness keeps things fun, but they also work incredibly hard and show amazing sportsmanship. They are the absolute best cheerleaders for themselves and other robotics teams. They showed Maryland what Allegany County is all about.”

Barry Hartung, ACPS robotics coordinator and REACT president, noted the milestone the win represents for the program. “Most of this group of seventh- and eighth-graders have participated in robotics since third and fourth grade and have truly culminated their experience by being the first ACPS team to win an award at the FLL State Championships,” he said. “This award, in particular, truly represents this amazing group of kids.”

Thomas Kozikowski, head coach of the Frostburg Mountain Movers, was named Coach/Mentor of the Year. 

The award recognizes outstanding adult leaders who demonstrate strong guidance and motivation and who embody FIRST Core Values. Kozikowski was selected from nearly 100 nominations. He teaches environmental science and physics at Mountain Ridge High School and coaches a group of students from Mt. Savage Middle School.

“While I received the award, the energy came from my team members,” Kozikowski said. “They are the best kids around. Their great ideas, effort and heart challenged me to think harder and to put in more time to support the team.”

Hartung said the recognition was well-deserved. “Tom goes to tremendous lengths to learn new skills, doesn’t hesitate to seek advice or input from others, and does it all to be the best coach he can be for his kids,” he said.

FIRST LEGO League is a global STEM program that uses hands-on education to teach robotics, coding and engineering. Teams research real-world problems and build autonomous robots, with an emphasis on teamwork and core values. The program features three divisions: Discover (pre-K through first grade), Explore (second through fourth grade) and Challenge (fourth through eighth grade).

Robotics and Engineering in Allegany County Together, Inc. (REACT) is a 501(c)3 educational nonprofit whose mission is to develop engaging and fun robotics learning and character building experiences for all young people throughout Allegany County, Maryland. We challenge students to use critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills to address real-world problems, inspiring the STEM professionals of the future.