FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an international robotics program in which teams of young people, ages 9 to 14, assemble and compete with robots that are designed to accomplish tasks associated with a real-world “Challenge.” In the 2015 Trash Trek Challenge, children from over 86 countries will identify a problem, create an innovative solution, and share their research when they answer the question, “How do we make less trash or improve the way people handle the trash we make?”
The number of FLL robotics teams in WV have grown from 98 last year to 119 teams this year necessitating Regional Qualifiers to handle growth as the FLL robotics STEM challenge continues to expand in our state. Teams competed throughout November at nine qualifying tournaments across the state, which included New River Community and Technical College, BridgeValley Community and Technical College, Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing, WVU at Parkersburg, Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center of Pierpont Community and Technical College, WVU Extension Services at Jackson’s Mill, Mountaineer Area RoboticS Club, and Shepherd University. From the nine Qualifying Events 48 teams advanced to the State Tournament, which is open to the public from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on December 5, 2015. This event promises to rival sporting events in enthusiasm from the audience and participants. Also, the public will be able to view innovative solutions to the Jr. FLL challenge Waste Wise, ages 6-9. The younger teams will demonstrate through LEGOs how to solve real-world problems that relate to the field of recycling and present posters showing what they have learned during their project.
Sponsors for the State Tournament at Fairmont State University include the WV Space Grant Consortium, STEM Enterprise, Southwestern Energy, and the West Virginia Robotics Alliance Project located out of NASA’s IV&V Program. For more information about robotics in WV, please visit www.wvroboticsalliance.org.
