Two Ottumwa Lego League teams will compete in the Iowa Championship on January 18 at Iowa State University against more than 70 Iowa teams. The Iowa Championship is hosted by Iowa State Engineering Kids (ISEK), a program from the Iowa State University College of Engineering Outreach & Education that promotes science, technology and engineering to K-12 students.
Over 30 Iowa teams competed in the First Lego League Regional Qualifier at Indian Hills Community College on December 7. The theme this year was “Nature’s Fury.” Teams explored natural disasters and developed ways to help communities prepare, stay safe, and rebuild when a disaster occurs.
The Property Protectors, a seventh/eighth grade TAG team, took First Place Grand Champions. They will advance to state competition. Their solution was a fire tarp that covered an entire home to protect property from radiant heat and embers in wildfires. Team members include: Elyse Weilbrenner, Bailey Gullion, Parker Brannen, Emma Walker, Wendy Houston, Connor Sheehan, Breanna Smith, Alexzandrea Woudenberg, Sierra Norman, and Jenna Post.
The TECHRats, a fifth/sixth grade TAG team, won second place for the project award and placed 7th in the regional qualifier competition and will advance to state. Their solution was to use rats to crawl under rubble to locate survivors after an earthquake. Team members include: Noah Bjerke, Cameron Morris, Ryan Eddy, Tyler Brown, and Alexander Meister, Evans Middle School; Donavan Newland, Eisenhower Elementary; and Max Thomason, Hayden Short, and Braydon Songer, Liberty Elementary. The TECHrats is coached by Breanna Hinmon, a K-5 TAG teacher for Ottumwa Schools.
Another team from Evans, the Dustbusters, placed first in the Robot Race Table but did not qualify for state. Their solution was something that could clean a soldier’s gun when it became filled with sand from dust storms when serving in Iraq. Team members included: Saelim Butler, Hunter Gullion, Steven Langland, Jesus Mancilla, Taegin Butler, Mia Barajas, Evan Hanson, Cody Cochell, Dawson Greene, and Griffin Dains.
Every September, First Lego League releases a Challenge, which is based on a real-world scientific topic. Each Challenge has three parts: the Robot Game, the Project, and the Core Values. Teams of up to ten children, with one adult coach, participate in the Challenge by programming an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field (Robot Game), developing a solution to a problem they have identified (Project), all guided by the First Lego League's Core Values.
By designing challenges around real world topics, participation supports learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. Team members also learn valuable life and employment skills which will benefit them no matter which career path they choose.Enter your content here.
Property Protectors
TECHrats
Dustbusters