HB Blazerbots win Champion's Award, advance to District Tournament next month
On Saturday, December 1, HB hosted 20 FIRST LEGO League teams in a regional competition open to students ages 9-14. Teams, comprised of three to 10 students, have been preparing for this competition since the beginning of school.
This year's mission, Senior Solutions, focused on issues that affect senior citizens. The competition had three parts: 1.) robot design and programming, 2.) a research presentation about an innovative solution to a physical or societal problem that affects senior citizens, and 3.) teamwork/FLL core values.
In addition to the judging and competition rounds, attendees at the tournament were entertained by the Rockin' Robots, an innovative dance troupe that gained fame on "America's Got Talent." Click here for a slideshow of images from the day's festivities.
The judges were thoroughly impressed with the hard work and creativity of all the teams, and many received special recognition. Hearty congratulations go out to the HB Blazerbots, a team of fourth- through eighth-grade Hathaway Brown students coached by Leslie Coleman, which received the Champion's Award at the close of the competition. The Blazerbots will advance to the FIRST LEGO League District Tournament at the University of Akron January 12-13, 2013. They will be joined in Akron by four other teams that advance from the HB tournament: Can't Stop the Bots; Seven Elements; Saber Sockets; and the Flaming Narwhals.
Another HB team, the Robotic Rabbits, coached by Carole Lechleitner, won the Strategy & Innovation Award. Additional awards were:
Research Award: Seven Elements; Innovative Solution Award: Lego Lunatics; Presentation Award: Think Outside the Bots; Mechanical Design Award: The Creators; Programming Award: Flaming Narwhals; Robot Performance Award: Saber Sockets; Inspiration Award: Saber Sockets; Teamwork Award: Mustaches; Gracious Professionalism Award: The Inventors; Thinking on Your Feet Award: Girlbotics; Character Award: Untamed Mindstorm Lions; Charisma Award: Robologic.
Many, many thanks to all the teams who participated from outstanding Northeast Ohio institutions including University School, Communion of Saints, the Hudson STEM Alliance, Saint Ignatius Arrupe Neighborhood Society, the Young Innovators' Society, Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio, and Aurora Robotics.
If you would like copies of the team pictures taken at the HB tournament, please contact Kathleen Osborne, director of communication & outreach, at kosborne@hb.edu or 216.320.8785.
