PV STEMNet Announcement: FIRST LEGO League Agawam Qualifying Tournament

["Mort Sternheim" <mort@umassk12.net>]

See more news and events at www.pvstem.net and
 on www.facebook.com/pvstemnet
 ======================================
 
 
 Agawam Robotics Education Association (AREA) is proud to present the
 8th annual FIRST LEGO League Agawam Qualifying Tournament / FIRST LEGO
 League Jr. Expo.  On December 12, from 9:00 to 5:00, at Agawam Junior
 High School, weeks of hard work will culminate at high-energy,
 sports-like tournament where teams will demonstrate their
 problem-solving skills, creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play,
 sportsmanship, and sense of community.  Among the participants are six
 teams from the Agawam school district, along with teams from
 surrounding communities in Massachusetts.  This event is free and open
 to the public, come to check out what a robotics competition is like
 and to cheer on your schools team!
  
  
  
 FIRST LEGO League is an international program designed for children in
 4th to 8th grades, with participants in more than 80 countries, created
 in a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Group in 1998 to get
 children excited about science and technology. Each year in late
 summer, the FIRST LEGO League releases a themed, three-part Challenge
 based on a real-world scientific topic applied through a Robot Game, a
 Project, and a signature set of FIRST LEGO League Core Values, which
 are the overarching way the Challenge is completed.  With adult coaches
 to guide them, FIRST LEGO League teams apply science, engineering, and
 math concepts, plus a big dose of imagination, to develop solutions to
 real-world challenges.  They also design, build, and program LEGO
 MINDSTORMS-based robots to perform autonomous missions on a playing
 field.  Along the way, they develop critical thinking, team-building,
 and presentation skills. Past Challenges have been based on topics such
 as biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, climate, quality of life for
 senior populations, and transportation, etc.
  
  
  
 This season, the Trash Trek challenge asks teams to explore the hidden
 but fascinating world of trash, from collection, to sorting, to smart
 production and reuse.  They must also invent a solution to help our
 trash problem and create their own LEGO MINDSTORMS robot to accomplish
 trash-themed missions on a playing field, and show how well they
 practice FIRST LEGO League core values.  The competition is judged in
 three categories: Project, Robot, and Core Values.  Teams with highest
 overall performance will advance to the Massachusetts State
 Championship Tournament, which will take place in Worcester Polytechnic
 Institute on December 19, 2015.  The highest honor will then go to one
 team from Massachusetts, with the opportunity to participate in the
 FIRST World Festival at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri on
 April 2016.
  
  
  
 Once again, Agawam Lions Club will be serving breakfast, lunch and
 snack items but with a new twist this year.  If you had visited their
 booth at the Big E this year, Mac & Cheese cone is no stranger to you,
 instead of waiting until next years Big E, the Lions Club will be
 offering this newest hit item on the menu during the event.  As an
 added bonus, Moes Donuts of Agawam will be making and selling
 freshly-made apple cider donuts on premise, which they normally offer
 their doughnuts at farmers markets and special events only.  Please
 visit www.agawamrobotics.org/q2015/ for any information and a complete
 list of this years participating teams.
 
 Dana P. Henry 
 FIRST  Senior Mentor/MA
 
  For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and  Technology 
  
 200 Bedford Street  |   Manchester, NH 03101  |   www.firstinspires.org 
 
 Phone:  413-237-0539  |  dhenry@firstinspires.org 
  

Subscribe to the STEM Ed. RSS feed at:
http://www.umassk12.net/feed.xml