The first official Aerial Drone Competition in the St. Louis area was on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event is hosted and organized by Christ Community Lutheran School and sponsored by Boeing.
Twenty-four teams, featuring a mix of middle and high school participants, from both private Lutheran and public schools will compete. Teams will travel to the Kirkwood campus from Kansas City, Boonville, Springfield (MO), and Camdenton.
The Aerial Drone Competition, offered through the REC Foundation, is a rapidly expanding opportunity for middle and high school students to build STEM skills including drone programming and navigation in competition. The competition also fosters creativity, teamwork, communication and other essential real-world skills.
The Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA) is proud to support the competition, providing logistical assistance, publicity and volunteers. Christ Community Lutheran School (CCLS) and Abiding Savior Lutheran School will represent LESA schools in this year’s competition.
CCLS Middle School Stem Teacher, Dee Dawson, introduced the competition to St. Louis, and is providing the logistical leadership while coaching 5 teams in the competition. “We are so thankful and give God the glory for this opportunity to enhance classroom learning throughout the state with the Aerial Drone Competition. We are hopeful that this experience will lead to many more years of healthy, fruitful competition” Dawson said.
More than 9,800 children attend LESA-member Lutheran schools in the St. Louis Metro Area, making Lutheran schools the second-largest private school system in the Bi-State area. A Recognized Service Organization of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, LESA represents 38 elementary and high schools and five related agencies. For more information, visit www.LESAstl.org.
