Latest news with #FIRSTLEGOLeague
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
WA budget woes threaten LEGO robotics program. What Tri-City kids are doing about it
Young Tri-City students who participate in robotics are writing their lawmakers in Olympia to save their program. Fourth- and fifth-graders at Marcus Whitman Elementary School in Richland met recently to demonstrate their skills and show support for FIRST Washington, the state-funded nonprofit helping the 2025 state champion FIRST LEGO League Dino Nuggys and other teams. The program introduces STEM education to public school students through fun, exciting and hands-on learning. Elementary students use research, problem-solving, coding and engineering to build and program a LEGO brick robot to perform tasks. But funding for the program is in jeopardy as the state grapples with a four-year, $12 billion budget deficit. In the Tri-Cities region, 30 middle and elementary schools, as well as 16 high schools, participate in FIRST Washington robotics teams. 'My favorite part was was enjoying the rush of running my code at competition and completing missions,' fifth-grader Colton Culbertson wrote in his letter to state legislators. 'My biggest obstacle was discussions with coding within my team. I am most proud of learning and using code programs,' said Culbertson, who wants to pursue a career in engineering. Fourth-grader Beatriz Mercado, who wants to be a scientist, says LEGO League competitions helped her communicate her thoughts and opinions more clearly. She says it also provides a head start for students interested in STEM. 'Moving forward, I now believe I can change the future,' she wrote lawmakers. 'If FLL is no longer an opportunity for me, I would be disappointed because I believe students should have a program where they can code, build and learn how to work together as a team.' Christine McKinnon is a 20-year FIRST Washington volunteer who previously coached for more than 10 years. She now organizes robotics tournaments, and says local schools wouldn't be able to participate in programs without the state funding. 'What I love about the robotics program is it brings kids together that normally wouldn't come together,' from musicians to math geeks, she said. 'Kids who wouldn't talk to teach other on the playground build a robot together.' McKinnon says the high school programs, FIRST TECH Challenge and FIRST Robotics, see students harness the power of programming languages, such as Java, to solve challenges with robots built from kits. FIRST Washington is a branch of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a national organization that's been around since the late 1980s with a goal of making STEM education as exciting as sports. It's the world's leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education. Washington OSPI, the state's department of education, is a generous supporter of FIRST Washington programs. It funded more than $1.4 million during the 2023-24 school year, according to OSPI documents. The nonprofit is requesting a continuation of money to keep these programs afloat, despite a tight budgeting season at the Washington Legislature. Part of their lobbying efforts includes asking students and families to send letters to the three lawmakers who represent their legislative districts in Olympia. The 105-day legislative session began Jan. 13 and is set to conclude April 27. In addition to laws, legislators also will form budgets for the 2025-27 biennium. Gov. Bob Ferguson is expected to make a budget announcement next week as he and lawmakers scrub the budget for cuts. Investments to K-12 education programs are not expected to be cut. The nine-student Dino Nuggys team is raising money to attend an international invitational competition in Massachusetts in June. Their goal is to raise $17,000 on GoFundMe for flights, meals and vehicle rentals.
TECHx
12-02-2025
- Science
- TECHx
TECHx Media UAE's FIRST LEGO League 2024-25 National Winners Announced
The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) 2024-25 season, hosted by ATLAB, a subsidiary of Centena Group, in collaboration with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and LEGO Education, announced the national winners from across the UAE during the grand finale of the 'CHALLENGE' category on February 9, 2025. The event celebrated the creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork of young innovators from 42 teams, who excelled in robotics and STEM. Team 'ACE' from the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences took home the Champion's Winner Award, while Team 'PELAGIC PIONEERS' from DPS Sharjah earned first runner-up and Team 'METAL MECH' from Gems International School – Al Khail secured second runner-up. In the Robot Performance category, Team 'SEATROTTERS' from Gems Millennium School – Sharjah claimed victory, with Team 'ACE' as first runner-up and Team 'MARINE X' from Gems Millennium School Sharjah taking second runner-up. For Robot Design, the winner was Team 'AQUA RAPTORZ' from DPS – Sharjah, with 'SEATROTTERS' and 'CODEBREAKERS 2.0' from Emerging Stars Institute finishing as first and second runners-up. The Innovation Project award went to Team 'MAWJ MYSTERY MASTERS (M CUBE)' from DPS – Sharjah, with Team 'HYDRATECH' from Mayoor Pvt School and Team 'NMS HYDROBOTS' from Gems New Millennium School taking the runner-up positions. Team 'AIS_TECHTITANS' from Abu Dhabi International Pvt School won the Core Values award, with 'ABYSSAL EXPLORERS' from Abu Dhabi Indian School and 'DIAEH TEAM 2' from Dubai International Academy – Emirates Hill securing the first and second runner-up spots. Additionally, the Motivate Award was presented to Team 'REEF RANGERS' from Diyar Private Academy Early Years and Girl's Campus Dibba, Fujairah, in recognition of their exceptional team spirit and commitment to the core values of the competition. The winners in the 'CHALLENGE' category were assessed based on their robot design, performance, innovation projects, and core values. As the Champion's Winner, Team ACE has qualified for the international competition at the World Festival in Houston, Texas. Selected teams will also compete in international competitions across the globe, including Greece, South Africa, Australia, and the USA. Charbel Najjar, the coach of Team ACE, expressed, 'This competition provided a dynamic platform to showcase our innovative ideas and gain valuable experience in problem-solving, teamwork, and STEM skills. We look forward to continuing our participation in similar competitions.' Nilesh Korgaonkar, CEO of ATLAB, emphasized the importance of initiatives like FIRST LEGO League in inspiring real-world solutions. 'These exceptional projects may inspire solutions that could be adopted at an international level. We're proud of all the participants and winners who seized this opportunity.' Esteemed professionals from various backgrounds, including institutions and universities across the UAE, served as judges for the competition. The grand finale was further enriched by the presence of Rasna Hussain, CCDI Teacher and Trainer at the UAE Ministry of Education, whose expertise spans robotics, STEM training, AI, and machine learning. In alignment with the UAE's vision to foster a knowledge-based economy and empower future generations, ATLAB's continued support for STEM education through initiatives like FIRST LEGO League plays a vital role in nurturing young innovators and contributing to the nation's aspirations for innovation and excellence in STEM fields.
Mid East Info
10-02-2025
- Science
- Mid East Info
Hamdan Foundation Students Represent UAE at the FLL International Competition in Houston - Middle East Business News and Information
Hamdan Center for Giftedness and Innovation team secured first place in the national qualifiers of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition, held at Raffles Hotel in Dubai. With this victory, the team has qualified to represent the United Arab Emirates at the international championship, set to take place in Houston, USA, in April 2025. On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, congratulated the students who claimed first place in the national qualifiers of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL), emphasizing that this achievement reflects their excellence and creativity in science and innovation. His Excellency stated: 'Undoubtedly, student participation in such competitions contributes to the development of their scientific and intellectual skills, fosters a spirit of competition and distinction, and highlights their talents on both local and global levels. This achievement aligns with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation's commitment to supporting talented students, refining their skills, encouraging innovation, and showcasing their capabilities to maximize their potential. We congratulate our students on this well-deserved victory and extend our gratitude and appreciation to the organizers of this event for their efforts in ensuring its success and achieving its objectives.' His Excellency also praised the outstanding performance of students from Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation in local and national competitions this year, as well as the remarkable results they have achieved in previous editions of the championship at the local, national, and international levels. The FIRST LEGO League competition targets gifted students excelling in robotics at Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation. Participants gain real-world experiences that enhance their problem-solving skills through a structured global robotics program, equipping students and educators to build a better future. The competition aims to boost students' confidence, expand their knowledge, develop lifelong learning habits, and encourage experimentation while enhancing their skills in critical thinking, programming, and design through hands-on training in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and robotics.
Web Release
10-02-2025
- Science
- Web Release
Hamdan Foundation Students Represent UAE at the FLL International Competition in Houston
By Editor_wr On Feb 10, 2025 Hamdan Center for Giftedness and Innovation team secured first place in the national qualifiers of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition, held at Raffles Hotel in Dubai. With this victory, the team has qualified to represent the United Arab Emirates at the international championship, set to take place in Houston, USA, in April 2025. On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, congratulated the students who claimed first place in the national qualifiers of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL), emphasizing that this achievement reflects their excellence and creativity in science and innovation. His Excellency stated: 'Undoubtedly, student participation in such competitions contributes to the development of their scientific and intellectual skills, fosters a spirit of competition and distinction, and highlights their talents on both local and global levels. This achievement aligns with the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation's commitment to supporting talented students, refining their skills, encouraging innovation, and showcasing their capabilities to maximize their potential. We congratulate our students on this well-deserved victory and extend our gratitude and appreciation to the organizers of this event for their efforts in ensuring its success and achieving its objectives.' His Excellency also praised the outstanding performance of students from Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation in local and national competitions this year, as well as the remarkable results they have achieved in previous editions of the championship at the local, national, and international levels. The FIRST LEGO League competition targets gifted students excelling in robotics at Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation. Participants gain real-world experiences that enhance their problem-solving skills through a structured global robotics program, equipping students and educators to build a better future. The competition aims to boost students' confidence, expand their knowledge, develop lifelong learning habits, and encourage experimentation while enhancing their skills in critical thinking, programming, and design through hands-on training in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and robotics. Comments are closed.
