First Lego League clubs have become prominent in Surry County with local schools making it to regional and state championships.
First Lego League, or FLL, is a club that allows students to participate in the creation of a Lego robot. They learn technical skills, how to code, and the wide array of steps it takes to build a functioning robot.
These robots that the students build compete at local competitions in hopes to advance to regionals. After the regional competition they compete at the state level for top prize.
The competitions are split up into four areas. The students and their robots are judged on these.
In early 2012, Dr. Ashley Hinson, then the superintendent of Surry County Schools, was contacted by Sam McCormick and Joe Kromer about starting a Lego league in Surry County.
With the help of sponsors such as Insteel Industries, SouthData, Northern Regional Hospital, Renfro Brands, NCFI, and Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, this was able to become a reality.
Dr. Hinson soon contacted Dr. Greg Little, who at that time was superintendent of Mount Airy City Schools. They joined forces to offer this new opportunity to both school systems.
In March of 2012, the first Surry County Lego teams were created.
Since 2012, the number of students participating has grown with there being 150 kids in Surry County on a Lego team.
“Mount Airy Middle School consistently has two Lego teams compete,” says School Counselor and Lego Team volunteer, Kelly Anders.
Technology teacher and faithful parent volunteer, Rick Haynes, plays a pivotal role on the Lego team. Haynes assists the students with building their robots as well as coding their robots.
Austin Taylor and Kelly Anders assist in creating projects that the kids take to tournaments.
This year there were two teams at Mount Airy Middle School, the Postal Bots, and the Kargo Kids. they were tasked with finding solutions to cargo issues in our community.
The Kargo Kids won “Best Robot Design” at this year’s Surry County Lego League Competition.
“Both teams went to Regionals and were in the running to go to States but unfortunately fell short,” said Anders.
The Kargo Kids will be an alternate for the upcoming state competition.
Mount Airy Middle School has had plenty of success in the past winning multiple awards in Surry County Competitions as well as Regionals. They have been Design Champs multiple times as well as winning a handful of Innovation awards, Judges Awards, and Robot Runs.
Mount Airy Middle School also went to states during the 2019-2020 school year.
“The FLL (First Lego League) competition allows our students to authentically engage in team building and real-world problem solving. The experience that these students are given builds leadership skills in a dynamic fashion,” said Principal of Mount Airy Middle School Levi Goins.
FLL teams are evaluated in four areas. Innovative Project, Robot Design, Core Values, and Robot Run.
For Innovative Project a theme is given each year. This year’s theme was “Cargo Connect.”
Teams had to prepare a five-minute presentation using the following elements that revolved around how we transport goods.
Identify and research a problem to solve within cargo transport. Design a solution that helps others or your community. Create a model or prototype of your solution. Share your ideas, collect feedback, and iterate on your solution. Then, this solution is communicated at a competition.
The Ice Cream Scoopers from Pilot Mountain Middle School were the Innovative Project Champion at this year’s Surry County competition.
Robot Design is another five-minute presentation given by students. They are tasked with identifying a mission strategy and designing and programming the robot to accomplish different tasks. The robot must be built with Legos and be coded to find a solution to their mission strategy.
The Kargo Kids from Mount Airy Middle School were the Robot Design Champions at this year’s Surry County competition.
The Core Values award is given to the team who exhibits the core values of FLL during all their presentations and during the Robot Games.
The core values include applying teamwork and discovery to explore a challenge, innovate with new ideas about your robot and project, show how your team and your solutions will have an impact, and having fun in everything you do.
The CMS Fury from Central Middle School were the Core Values Champions this year at the Surry County competition.
Robot Game is the last of the four events. Teams are to build and program a Lego robot to accomplish various missions on the robot game table. Teams have two and a half minutes to complete as many missions as possible.
The CyberElks from Elkin Middle School were the Robot Game Champion at this year’s Surry County Competition.
Several Surry County Schools have made it to State level competitions.
Gentry Middle School currently still has two teams in the competition and will compete at States in January.
Pilot Mountain Middle School has one team acting as an alternate in the Greensboro Qualifier Event.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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