A “rookie” group of Montessori Academy students is launching our school into robotics excellence with their recent first place win at a FIRST LEGO League (FFL) South Florida Regional competition.In a historic moment for our school, the Montessori Academy “ECO-Builders” team, made up of mostly Elementary school students, competed and won against Middle School teams from around the region.FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League teams research a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc., and are challenged to develop a solution. They also must design, build, and program a robot using Lego Mindstorms, and then compete on a table-top playing field.It all adds up to tons of fun, while they learn to apply science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts - plus a hefty dose of imagination - to solve a problem. Students develop critical thinking and team-building skills, basic STEM applications, and even presentation skills along their journey, as they must present their solutions to judges. They also practice and are evaluated on the program’s Core Values, which emphasize discovery, teamwork, and good sportsmanship.Congratulations to our students! We look forward to cheering for the ECO-Builders in many future FFL competitions.
