S.C. FIRST LEGO League state finals come to Clemson

CLEMSON — Clemson University will host the S.C. FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournament competition at Littlejohn Coliseum Saturday, Feb. 21.

Eighty teams of children ages 9 to 14 from around the state will compete for a spot at the FIRST LEGO League World Festival. Each team must maneuver its LEGO robot through challenges and obstacles on a four- by eight-foot LEGO obstacle course. The robot must complete as many tasks as possible in two-and-a-half minutes. The tasks are designed around this year’s theme, “Climate Connections.”

“This event is truly sports for the mind," said Clemson professor Christine Minor, SC FIRST LEGO League partner and state tournament coordinator. "The kids participating are pumped up, charged up and really excited about science and technology. They are doing battle on the robot playing fields, they are showing off their research skills in the project rooms, they are functioning as teams to solve complex problems and they are doing design and programming at a level that would stymie some professionals,”

Robots are built from LEGO Mindstorm robotics kits. These kits contain more than 1,100 pieces, including LEGO bricks, motors, sensors, software and gears. Teams spend months before competition designing and building their robots.

This year’s theme is intended to get teams thinking about the way the climate in their hometowns, as well as global climates, affect activities such as agriculture, fishing and hunting. As part of the competition, teams are required to identify climate-related problems in their communities and communities elsewhere in the world with the same problems and develop innovative solutions.

The event draws approximately 5,000 students, parents, coaches and spectators to Littlejohn. Volunteers are being recruited to help with the event. They can sign up at www.clemson.edu/SCFLL by following the "volunteers" link.

“Clemson University is honored to host the 800-plus children participating, as well as their parents and coaches," Minor said. "As a university, we recognize that these children are the future scientists, engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians and scholars of every form that will fill our halls, expand our horizons and lead the state of South Carolina into the future.”

Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m., with competition starting at 10 a.m. The event is open to the public and free for spectators.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen. He wanted to inspire young people’s interest and participation in the growing fields of science and technology. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST is a nonprofit public charity that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math.