Elementary school team reaches Lego championship
The team will compete in the championship in February
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. >> A Malta Elementary School robotics team has advanced to the FIRST Lego League championship tournament, in February, by finishing second place overall in a recent qualifier.
Nine FIRST Lego League teams, including Malta Bots, and six Junior teams took part in the event at Ballston Spa High School.
A Queensbury team called Brick2Brick took top honors in the FIRST Lego League competition, while the Malta Bots finished second. Malta Elementary School is part of Ballston Spa Central Schools.
This year’s challenge, “Into Orbit,” required students to design a Lego robot that could be programmed to operate independently on the competition table and accomplish several
space-related tasks.
The teams were judged based on the robot’s performance, design, and core value for a project innovation that would help earthlings get to Mars.
The championship tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 9 at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie.
In the Junior FIRST Lego League event, children ages 6 to 9 were asked to design and build a moon base using Legos.
Ballston Spa teams participating in the competition were from Gordon Creek, Malta Avenue, and Wood Road elementary schools, and two teams from Ballston Spa Middle School.
Awards were made in several other categories during the recent qualifying tournament. Winners are:
• Robot Design (Bionic Builders, Ballston Spa Middle School)
• Project Award (Lake George Warriors, Lake George Central Schools)
• Core Values (Malta Bots, Malta Elementary School)
• Robot Performance (Malta Bots, Malta Elementary School)
The FIRST program, which stands For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, was founded in 1989. Three levels of competitive challenges are offered each year to youths around the globe.
For information about the Feb. 9 championship tournament go to www.sunydutchess.edu/legoleague/ or Ballston Spa Science Coordinator Diane Irwin may be contacted by email at: dirwin@bscsd.org or by calling the high school (518) 884-7150.