On Saturday, 4th November, Suncoast Christian College hosted a memorable First Lego League event in our new primary precinct. The tournament was a resounding success, a testament to the collaborative efforts of our community and the enthusiastic involvement of students from across the region. This marks the second time that Adam King has taken on the role of Tournament Director, organizing this regional event at our school.
The First Lego League (FLL) is a global robotics program that introduces science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to children aged 4-16 through fun, hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences, helping students and teachers build a better future together. At the regional competition, teams share their robot solutions in robot games and deliver presentations regarding innovative solutions. The different aspects are scored and judges deliberate on the results to identify teams that are Lego champions.
The Judge Advisors for this year’s event were Megan and Jason Brabant, and their children, Rohan and Keenan provided a lending a hand in the Robot Games. Tristan Clasohm and our alumnus Aidan Brewster took on the roles of referees for the Robot Games. Cameron Botcher was one of many judges working as a Room Judge for the Innovation Project, with his daughter Sophie guiding teams to their respective judging rooms. The event brought together fifteen teams from schools all over the region. The Lego Championship was attended by approximately 200 people, creating a lively and dynamic atmosphere. The new primary precinct provided an ideal venue for the event, comfortably accommodating all attendees.
Dan Ray was Head Referee and Kyra Lombard was the scorekeeper for the day. These two roles carried heavy responsability and we truly valued their support and hard work in making the day a resounding success. The event was supported by over 25 volunteers from local state, private, and Catholic schools, along with numerous College staff members who generously volunteered their time for the First Lego League Tournament.
The feedback we received from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive. We received comments such as,
“I just wanted to say what a super job your team of volunteers… put on yesterday”, “The whole day was very calm and casual with ample time between runs and the judging slot thrown in as well”, “…the kids and the parents had a fantastic day and that is a credit to you” and “what an amazing event!”
The excitement was palpable as children immersed themselves in the Robot Games. Their faces lit up with joy and curiosity as they navigated the challenges, demonstrating not just their technical skills, but also their creativity and teamwork. It was a delightful sight to see the future innovators in action, learning and having fun at the same time. As an added bonus, our Suncoast Christian College teams did us proud, clinching the Rising All-Stars Award and the Motivation Award.
We are grateful for the support and participation of everyone involved and look forward to hosting FLL again in 2024.
