LEGO Robot Tournament Returns to McKendree on Dec. 14

Lebanon, Ill. — McKendree University will host a qualifying tournament for the FIRST® LEGO League (FLL), on Saturday, Dec. 14. Check in is at 7:30 a.m., with table runs starting at noon and final awards at 3:30 p.m. in the Melvin Price Convocation Center gymnasium on Alton St. Spectators are welcome after noon on both days. Admission is free.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics programs are designed to inspire students of all ages to excel in math and science. FLL introduces elementary and middle school students to engineering challenges as they design, build, test and program small robots made of LEGO Mindstorms. In the 2013-2014 “Nature’s Fury” challenge, teams of eight to 14-year-olds will explore what can be done when intense natural events meet the places people live, work, and play. In competition, the remote-controlled robots must complete a task on a playing surface.

Two 12-team qualifying events will include participants from Collinsville, Edwardsville, Germantown, Glen Carbon, O’Fallon, Lebanon, Manteno, Maryville, Rochester, Shiloh and Swansea, assisted by their coaches and mentors.

Volunteers are needed for check-in, crowd control, hospitality, event breakdown, timekeeping, field reset and scorekeeping. Trained volunteers are also needed to judge student projects and robot designs.

For more information, go to www.mckendree.edu/FIRST or visit http://www.flltournament.com/Signup.aspx?TID=88&CID=15&Region=IL

 

-McK-