Bridgewater‑Raritan Students Lead LEGO Robotics Team to State Championship Victory

The Bridgewater‑Raritan community is celebrating a remarkable achievement this winter as a local robotics team, M&M Legends, earned top honors at the FIRST LEGO League New Jersey State Championship. The six‑member team—which includes four students from the Bridgewater‑Raritan Regional School District—was crowned state champions, taking home the prestigious Engineering Excellence Award at the competition held December 13–14 at Mount Olive Township High School.

Their victory is even more impressive considering the scale of the competition: 342 teams participated in New Jersey’s qualifiers, with only 80 advancing to the state level. M&M Legends not only secured their place among the top teams but also earned the Core Values Award earlier in the season, highlighting their teamwork, collaboration, and commitment to the spirit of FIRST.

The team’s success was guided in part by Leah Heisler, a sophomore at Bridgewater‑Raritan High School and the only high school member on the roster. This season, Leah stepped into the role of Youth Mentor, drawing on her own experience as a former team member.

Co‑coach Ratul Ahuja shared how Leah’s leadership shaped the team’s journey.

Last year, she learned the fundamentals of collaboration and problem‑solving. This year, she used those lessons to guide younger students—encouraging critical thinking, supporting trial‑and‑error learning, and helping the team grow without giving away the answers.

Beyond the technical work, Leah also led the team’s outreach and fundraising efforts, organizing lemonade stands, bake sales, and even a firewood sale. These activities strengthened community connections and helped the team develop communication and organizational skills that extended far beyond the competition floor. M&M Legends impressed judges in both major components of the competition: Robot Game - The team designed, built, and coded an autonomous robot capable of completing a series of complex missions on the competition field.

Innovation Project - Their project proposed a collaborative website connecting citizen archaeologists with local experts—an idea aimed at helping communities preserve historical artifacts and deepen public engagement with local history.

Judges praised the team for their creativity, technical skill, and strong demonstration of FIRST Core Values. Their official remarks captured the spirit of the team:
“This team is no candy, but they are really sweet. Their stories from the past will continue into the future.”

Meet the M&M Legends Team

• Leah Heisler – Youth Mentor, Grade 10, Bridgewater‑Raritan High School
• Saivi Ahuja – Team Member, Grade 8, Bridgewater‑Raritan Middle School
• Justin Heisler – Team Member, Grade 8, Bridgewater‑Raritan Middle School
• Arjun Sojitra – Team Member, Grade 7, Hillsborough Middle School
• Akshar Sojitra – Team Member, Grade 7, Bridgewater‑Raritan Middle School
• Pahul Sawhney – Team Member, Grade 7, Timberlane Middle School, Pennington

The M&M Legends’ championship win is a proud moment for Bridgewater‑Raritan and the surrounding communities—showcasing not only technical talent, but leadership, creativity, and the power of young people working together toward a shared goal.

More News from Bridgewater

• Taste of the Day: Last Chance to Enjoy Puto Bumbong at Kafe de Manila (Somerville, NJ) A sweet, cozy bite of tradition — in Somerville.
• Somerville YMCA Brings Back Saturday Taekwondo with Grandmaster Roger Reyes for all ages. Classes in Somerville Begin Saturday, January 10th, 2026 in Somerville.