Congratulations to the WLMS Robotics Team!

WLMS Pride!

Yesterday, at the Maryland FIRST Lego League Championship held on the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus (UMBC), the WLMS' Robotics Team performed impressively. In fact they placed in the top 20 out of the 64 teams who competed yesterday and out of the 215 teams that began the year. I am so proud of each of our team members. They are: Augie, Daniel, Calvin, Skylar and Noah. Way to guys!

Also, I want to commend our coach, Mr. Fox, and all of the parents who helped to prepare and transport our team during this season. 

Considering this is only WLMS's second year competing in this competition, I am confident that we will only get better in the future as we fine tune our robot and work on gaining more points during each round.

What is the FIRST LEGO League (FLL)? It is a result of an exciting alliance between FIRST (a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students become technology leaders) and the LEGO Company. Guided by adult mentors and their own imaginations, FLL students solve real-world engineering challenges and develop important life skills.

FLL provides students, age 9-14, with a hands-on, interactive robotics program in a sports-like atmosphere. Teams of up to 10 players focus on team building, problem solving, creativity, and analytical thinking to develop solutions to a problem currently facing the world - the Challenge.

Each September, a new Challenge is unveiled to FLL teams across the world. Over the ensuing 8 weeks, the teams strategize, design, build, program, test and refine a fully autonomous robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS™ technology. The teams also do their own research, talk to professionals, and develop compelling presentations which relate to the Challenge. At FLL competitions, the teams are evaluated on their robot's performance, their presentation, teamwork and robot design.

Find out more about how to start a team and other Maryland FLL events. (Source: First Lego League of Maryland Website)

WLMS Teams Compete at First Lego Robotics League Competition

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of traveling to Liberty High School in Carroll County to see Wilde Lake Middle School students compete in the First Lego League Robotics Competition. I believe these WLMS students are the first HCPSS middle school students to participate in this competition. While our two teams did not place in the top 10 in their first competition, these students represented our school very well. Due to this experience, I believe we will "kick some robotic butt" next year (please pardon my technical language).

I want to congratulate Mr. Fox for coaching the following students...

Jack, Josh, Alexander, Noah, Sam, Daniel, Bayan, Caleigh, Jacob, Yan & Jie

Way to Go!

Thanks Northrup Grumman for your support of our team!

Getting in the Game - WLMS Prepares to Compete in Lego Robotics League

Imagine if you could program a vehicle to take you places, or even go by itself…

Imagine if each vehicle knew where all the other ones were…

Imagine if vehicles could avoid each other and the things around them…

Imagine if vehicles could be programmed to avoid causing or driving into traffic jams…

• Would traffic signals be needed any more?

If these vehicles did hit each other…

• How might they be built to really keep passengers safe?
• How might they be built to avoid getting stuck or damaged?

Have you noticed that most vehicles near where you live are only used part of the day?

• How might the number of vehicles in your area be reduced?

What new technologies could sometimes eliminate your need to travel?

Now in addition to imagining and wondering… Try some of this yourself!

Source: First Lego League Competition

For the first time this year, 52 students at WLMS are beginning to explore how to design a robot that can possibly do all of the challenges discussed above. Thanks to Atholton High School teacher, Mr. Fox and WLMS GT teacher, Ms. Motaung. our students will enter the First Lego League to compete with other teams from around the central Maryland region to see who's ideas reign supreme in the 2009 First Lego League (FLL) Mission Challenge.

We have opportunities for students to work on robotics during school and after school here at the Lake. The excitement being generated is amazing!

Watch this exciting video below to find out more about the FLL: