Montverde Academy (MVA) recently hosted the highly anticipated Eagle Lego Robotics Scrimmage, welcoming 17 middle school robotics teams from across Central Florida. The event featured a captivating combination of robot runs and judging interviews, providing young students with the chance to showcase their problem-solving skills, innovation projects, and core values.
The theme for this year’s competition was “Master Piece,” challenging participants to harness their creativity and leverage technology and art in ways that elevate their chosen hobbies. One MVA team drew inspiration from a young lady with visual impairments who played basketball guided by auditory cues. In response, Team #Grandma developed innovative solutions to make the game more accessible to the visually impaired, aiming to create a real model of their design.
The competition consisted of two key components: the robot run and judging interviews. During the robot run, students utilized their self-built robots to accomplish various missions, scoring points based on their performance. Meanwhile, the judging interviews focused on assessing the teams’ knowledge of robotics, their programming skills, and how they incorporated the core values of FIRST® LEGO®, which include discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun.
All three MVA middle school teams, namely #Grandma, #Grandpa, and #Uncle, showed exceptional dedication and talent throughout the event. Team #Uncle secured the second-highest score in the robot runs, exemplifying the core value of gracious professionalism by teaching their teammates how to complete missions. This collaborative effort not only led to success but also fostered friendships with teams from other schools.
Team #Grandma impressed the judges with their innovation project, earning the highest score in the judging rooms. Through interactive presentations, they showcased their creative solutions for enhancing accessibility in basketball for individuals with limited sight. Meanwhile, Team #Grandpa also excelled in the judging rooms, with their innovation project centered around creating opportunities for individuals without limbs to experience the thrill of racecar driving.
Dr. Long, the Director of Educational Technology and Innovation at MVA, expressed immense pride in the students and their achievements. As the only school in Lake County hosting this event, MVA seized the opportunity to showcase the hard work and talent of its students.
The Eagle Lego Robotics Scrimmage not only emphasized the importance of STEM education but also highlighted the incredible ingenuity and problem-solving capabilities of young students. Through their innovative projects and impressive performances, these middle school robotics teams demonstrated that the future of technology and innovation is in capable hands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How many teams participated in the Eagle Lego Robotics Scrimmage?
Seventeen middle school robotics teams from across Central Florida took part in the competition, including three teams from Montverde Academy.
2. What was the theme for this year’s competition?
The theme for the competition was “Master Piece,” challenging participants to incorporate technology and art into their chosen hobbies.
3. How were the teams evaluated during the competition?
Teams were evaluated based on their performance in the robot runs, where they used self-built robots to complete missions, as well as their performance in judging interviews. The interviews assessed their knowledge of robotics, programming skills, and incorporation of core values.
4. What was the innovation project of Team #Grandma?
Team #Grandma’s innovation project aimed to make basketball more accessible to the visually impaired by developing creative solutions and creating a real model of their design.
5. Which teams from Montverde Academy performed exceptionally well?
All three teams from Montverde Academy, namely #Grandma, #Grandpa, and #Uncle, demonstrated exceptional dedication and talent. Team #Uncle achieved the second-highest score in the robot runs, while Team #Grandma had the highest score in the judging rooms. Team #Grandpa also excelled in the judging rooms with their innovative project.
(Source: Montverde Academy)