“Um, English, please?” said Sam.

Bella flipped her car over and showed them the underside. “See? I removed the extra tank to make it much lighter than before. And I made the wheels bigger, so my car would roll faster and be less likely to skid.”

“Well, let’s test out your theory!” said Maddie excitedly.

Again the friends inflated their balloons and lined up their cars.

“On your marks, get set, GO!”

This time, all four cars shot forward, with one car taking a distinct lead over the others: the new-and-improved Dream Machine. Cheering, the four friends ran after them, all the way to the finish line.

Maybe I do have something to contribute to that robotics team after all, Bella thought happily.