Four Lego Robotics Teams Represent Milford and to Compete in State Tourney

Written by Kathryn Bonetti, Milford Public Schools spokeswoman

MILFORD, CT — On Saturday, Dec. 3rd, two Lego robotics teams from Milford will advance to state tournament competition in conjunction with the FIRST Lego League Championships. The competition will be held at Shelton High School and run from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The tournament is open to the public and there is no admission cost.

Masterminds, comprised of students from East Shore Middle School, are very familiar with competition at this level, having participated in the championships previously as Milford’s flagship Lego robotics team in 2014 and 2015. The students, (4th and 5th graders at Orchard Hills Elementary in 2014) have worked together ever since. This year, the team earned a spot at the qualifying competition held at Greenwich Academy. At that competition, the team won 1st place in Robot Performance, 1st place in Project Research, and 2nd place Overall (Runner-up Champions Award).

Lightspeed, also from Milford, will compete at the state tournament on Saturday. This team, comprised of students from schools across the district, will face competition at this level for the first time. Earlier in November, Lightspeed participated in the qualifying competition held at Shelton High School. The team placed 1st in Robot Performance, and 1stfor Robot Design.

Two other Milford-based teams, the Station Masters (organized through the Milford Public Library) and the rookie Brainstormers (representing Orchard Hills and Live Oaks elementary schools and East Shore Middle School) competed earlier in local competitions but did not advance to this weekend’s upcoming state level competition.

FIRST is a non-profit organization dedicated to the exploration of science and technology. The group aspires to transform culture by making science, math, engineering, and technology ‘cool.’ Several programs are conducted under the FIRST ‘umbrella’ – including the FIRST Lego League, intended for students in grades 4 – 8 working in teams of up to 10 students. Students at this level are asked to build and then work with a small Lego robot that they learn to program. The robot is expected to autonomously accomplish a series of various tasks during a robot game (as assigned by FLL competition officials). Depending on the type of task and conducted on an official playing surface, the robot may have to push a door open, press a button, swing to the side, insert a key into a slot, or collect spring-type loops – among many other types of tasks. All movements and sequences must be precise – and the students, themselves, must figure out how to make the robot achieve the objectives.

In addition to robotic tasks, the students conduct a research project in answer to an annual question, posed by FLL officials. This year’s assignment asked students to identify a situation in which people and animals interact, and focus on solving a specific problem evolving from that interaction. Students are required to present their research to a panel of judges.

The final component of FLL is the concept of core values (which emphasizes teamwork and attitude). Students participate in a team exercise, observed by a panel of judges, and are also evaluated throughout the tournament.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a multinational non-profit organization, founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen – the inventor of the Segway Human Transporter. FIRST was founded on partnerships with businesses, educational institutions and governmental agencies. Major global sponsors include National Instruments, 3M, Lego, and Rockwell Automation. It is estimated that more than 265,000 young people from more than 80 countries around the world participate in FIRST programming. Connecticut currently has nearly 200 teams in place. For more information about FIRST, please visit their global website at www.usfirst.org.