In most schools, the teaching of cursive writing along with subjects such as Latin have become extinct. But not at St. Michael School in Pawcatuck where both subjects are still taught.

So it's little surprise that a group of eight students in grades 5-8 who participated in the state First LEGO League robotics competition last weekend in Shelton chose cursive writing as the theme for a project in which they are creating a website that teaches cursive writing and explains its benefits.

The robotics competition not only requires students to design and build robots to perform certain tasks on a table top obstacle course but also to create and present a project. Awards are given in both areas. This year's project theme was "World Class Learning" How to Improve Ways of Learning."

The St. Michael Angels robotics team explained how research shows that cursive writing improves brain development and fine motor skills while allowing students to read primary source documents, whether its the original version of the Declaration of Independence or a handwritten diary or ship's log.

"I used to dread cursive but now I see why it's important," student Daniel Robinson said last week as he and his fellow team members practiced their presentation. "How it develops the brain was the most interesting thing for me."

Team member John Cunningham said knowing cursive not only enables people to read handwriting of older people but "shows you're an educated person."

The students spent three months researching the benefits of cursive writing, including talking to Sister Barbara Gould, the assistant superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Norwich.

"She said if she could add it to the Common Core (curriculum) she would," Cunningham said.

During their project presentation at the competition in Old Lyme, team member Aaron Reck said one of the judges said he did not know how to write in cursive.

The students are also designing www.cursiveacademy.com, a website that will teach students to write both upper and lower case letter words in cursive. They will be able to write on their computer screens or print out pages and scan them back in to be analyzed. As a reward, by successfully moving from letter to letter students will earn virtual money to but items for their avatars.

Principal Doris Messina said the school plans to use the website in classes. St. Michael's students begin learning to read and write cursive in third grade and are expected to master it by fifth grade. While students can read text versions of documents, Messina said, it's important to be able to read the historical versions as well.

"I still think we should know how to do it," said Robinson. "And I like the way cursive looks professional," added team member Quinn McBride.

J.WOJTAS@THEDAY.COM

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