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By
JONATHAN COOPER, Executive Editor December 09, 2002
NEW
BRITAIN -- For hundreds of the state’s middle-schoolers, Legos
aren’t toys, but rather serious business.
Some
500 pupils, armed with their ingenious Lego creations, descended upon
Central Connecticut State University to participate in the fourth First
Lego League Connecticut Regional Robotics Competition.
"This
provides a forum for middle-school students to compete in a problem
solving event," said Pat Foster, CCSU associate professor.
"It’s a big culminating event."
The
day-long event, sponsored by the School of Technology at CCSU, the state
Department of Education, CCSU and the Science Center of Connecticut, is
a challenge of wits, creativity, technology, and teamwork.
Each
team must construct a Lego robot that is capable of accomplishing
various tasks, including harvesting food, picking up and removing rocks
and closing a drawbridge. The teams are each provided a set list of
materials from which they construct their robots.
"There’s
a real attempt to make sure there’s a level playing field,"
Foster said.
As
part of the competition, teams must present their projects to a panel of
judges and explain their solutions to each challenge. They are scored on
their presentations.
"They
are judged on the quality of the solution to the problem," Foster
said, including how well it was presented.
More
than 90 teams applied to participate in the event and 50 were randomly
selected by computer to participate, including a team representing the
Middle School of Plainville and others from Berlin and Rocky Hill.
Plainville
Technology education teacher Camille Westfall brought 19 students to the
competition -- the second year the school participated. Westfall said
about 40 students applied for slots on the team, drafting a letter
outlining their qualifications and team contribution.
The
lessons of teamwork seemed to resonate with the MSP team members as much
as the experience of crafting their robot.
"I
most definitely know this will most definitely do something to teach me
about working together with other kids," 12-year-old Kevin Yudkin,
an aspiring engineer, said during the awards ceremony.
"This
kind of thing is pretty cool," 13-year-old Mike Mangone added.
While Mike said he expects to apply some of the knowledge amassed during
the months of work on the project, he plays to apply his technological
skills to a future in graphics design.
Awakening
a desire to explore is one of the driving forces behind the competition.
"That’s
part of the motivation," Foster said. "If these kids get into
other activities because of this, that’s good."
The
First Lego League competition is a feeder program to a similar high
school program that requires students to build their own robots from raw
materials, but the members of the MSP team heading to Plainville High
School next year don’t know if they’ll be able to continue on.
PHS
doesn’t yet have a robotics team.
"We’re
hoping to get some support from the teachers at the high school to start
one," said Devin Alvarez, 13.
Reprinted
by permission; ©The Herald 2002
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