AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Becoming Maine's First Lego League Champion is more than fun and games.
It's a test of skill, concentration, and knowledge in math, science and technolgoy, as 600 Maine students are learning at the Lego League Championships in Augusta this weekend.
For the 13th year, the Maine Robotics organization has put on what is the largest science and engineering event in the state.
Maine Robotics Executive Director Tom Bickford says the Lego League is a unique way to introduce kids to engineering concepts, while helping them have fun.
"[The kids] find science and technology interesting, but we don't present it in a manner that they want to hear," said Bickford. "That's what this is all about."
Schools have teams of students assemble a lego robot, and program the robot to complete selected missions in the competition.
Each completed mission earns the team points. Teams are also evaluated on teamwork, presentation, research, and other areas.
"We get to build and learn engineering and stuff, it's awesome," said Jasmine Liberty, a fifth grade student from Albert S. Hall Elementary School in Waterville.
The winning teams from Maine advance to compete in Lego Land parks in California and Florida.
66 teams from 42 towns competed in the all day event and was the culmination of the fall season. A total of 540 children competed and an additional 1200 spectators, volunteers and coaches were in attendance.
Results:
Champions, 1st place: (overall winners for the whole tournament)
"The Antique Pickled Furniture" from Bar Harbor
Champions, 2nd place:
"Auto-Medics" from South Paris
Champions, 3rd place:
"The NXT to Burn" from Bar Harbor
Robot Performance Award, 1st place
"The Antique Pickled Furniture" from Bar Harbor
Mechanical Design Award, 1st place
"Cooktop Heroes" from Farmington
Programming Award, 1st place
"The LEGO Nueve" from Kennebunk
Strategy and Innovation Award, 1st place
"The Innovators" from Farmington
Inspiration Award (team spirit), 1st place
"The Riot Crew" from South Portland
Teamwork Award, 1st place
"All SySTEMs Go", from Gorham
Gracious Professionalism, 1st place
"Auto-Medics" from South Paris
Research Award, 1st place
"LEGO Rams" from Kennebunk
Innovative Solution Award, 1st place
"The NXT to Burn" from Bar Harbor
Presentation Award, 1st place
"Good Afternoon, My Name is Russell" from Jay
T-Shirt Award, 1st place
"SCAMINATORS" from South Paris
Rookie Team Award
"Robo Dojo" from Lewiston
Volunteer Award
Blake Bourque from Readfield/UMaine College of Engineering student
For more information about the program, check out the national website: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/fll or the Maine website http://www.mainerobotics.org/fll
NEWS CENTER