Dallas ISD middle school students turn tragedy into triumph

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The students at Robert T. Hill Middle School in Dallas are persevering in the midst of adversity they never saw coming.  

Recently taking part in the Vex Robotics World Championships at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, the students paid honor to their late coach and teacher. 

Eliana Tseng was a STEM coordinator at the school for the last 13 years. Unfortunately, she passed away from a brain aneurysm just after Christmas break. 

She was seen as the type of teacher who went out of her way to help her students with their education goals, and also, at times, with personal issues they were dealing with. 

While her students are and will always be heartbroken, they were not going to skip the competition. Instead, they honored Mrs. Tseng by showing their skills on a world stage. They say they know that's what she would have wanted them to do. 

The Dallas ISD students hope this is just the first of many opportunities to carry on her legacy.