ABOUT:

First LEGO League (FLL) is an accessible, guided, beginner' robotics competition that encourages teamwork, discover, innovation, and problem-solving.  The FLL competition is comprised of three components:  the Robot Game, an Innovation Project, and Core Values.  The Robot Game is an annual theme-based challenge that encourages kids to think of technology solutions to real-world problems.  Teams design and program an autonomous robot that scores points on a themed table-top playing field.  Past challenges have been inspired by environment, transportation, accessibility, and exploration.  FLL team members engage in brainstorming, research, design, and coding while practicing the engineering design process of building, testing, re-building, re-testing, etc. Students will work with LEGO Education Spike Prime robotics components and use drag-and-drop coding blocks to program their robotics on laptop computers.

FLL members have fun with friends, encourage and support each other, and learn the art of gracious competition.  In addition to the robot challenge, FLL team members compete in short, on-the-spot challenge problems in the Innovation Project phase of the competitions.  FLL is also known for its philosophies of "gracious professionalism" and "cooperation" which are expressed in the organization's Core Values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun.  Teams are also judged on how well they promote and exhibit these core values.

MEMBERSHIP:

We will be having 3 different groupings of teams with 1 competing team and 2 learning/causal teams. 

• The FRESHMAN team will be mostly comprised of newer children with no prior experience.  They will be mostly learning, in more detail, all that is involved in the various aspects of Lego Robotics. This team will be meeting every other week.
• The JUNIOR VARSITY team will be comprised of children with a little experience or children with more experience but are not interested in competing. This team will be meeting every other week.
• The VARSITY team will be our competing team.  This team will be comprised of a variety of experience levels and will be working specifically towards the goals established by the First Lego League for their competitions.  This team will be meeting every week.

ELIGIBILITY:

Students must be homeschooled and members of Tree City Homeschoolers to participate in the Tree City Homeschoolers Robotics Club.  They must also be in 4th - 8th grade*.  (Grade* is defined by student's age-based enrollment if he/she were in traditional school without acceleration, skipping, or delayed entry).  The grade will be based on the 2024-2025 school year.

EXPERIENCE:

No experience is required!

MEETING SCHEDULE:

Each team (stated above) will be provided with a meeting schedule prior to the start at the informational meeting held at the beginning of each year.  Additional hours and times may be required during the fall season.  The VARSITY team will participate in an initial competition sometime in November, with the potential for another competition in December and then again (potentially) in January.  A detailed schedule will be available when we get closer to the start of the school year.  

COMMITMENT/PARENT INVOLVEMENT:

The team(s) may need additional parent(s) to serve as mentors and assist with overall meetings.  If you are interested in staying and helping feel free to reach out to me and let me know!  Teen volunteers (13+) who have experience with FLL will be welcomed as assistant coaches.  Any additional teams would also need all volunteer mentor and coach roles filled before getting started.

COSTS:

The cost of participation is $20 for the 2024-2025 school year.  If you participated in the open camp week prior to the start, the $5 registration fee will be applied to towards this cost. 

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:

If anyone have any additional questions feel free to email me at [email protected]