The Eddy Currents 2.0 First LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Team competed Saturday, Dec. 5, at the “Lancer-Bot-Mania” Qualifying Tournament at Lakeshore Middle School in Stevensville.

They won the “Robot-Mechanical Design” award.  This is a Judges Award based on mechanical design, innovation, programming effectiveness and team strategies for solving missions. The Eddy Currents were also the champions of the Robot Game Single-Elimination Tournament.

The team was comprised of six boys ranging from fourth to seventh grade.

Three boys attend Edwardsburg Intermediate School, two attend Dowagiac and one attends Trinity Lutheran in Elkhart.

The team was sponsored by The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and Southwestern Michigan College’s STEM Club.

Andrew Dohm, an SMC math and science Instructor, was their head coach.

The Eddy Currents started their season in late August and have been meeting two days a week to prepare for this tournament.

An FLL Tournament is comprised of a Robot Game, a project presentation, Core Values and technical judging sessions.

The Robot Game involves programming a LEGO robot to autonomously complete missions and earn as many points possible in two and a half minutes.

The team had to also research a problem involving trash, learn about current solutions and come up with an innovative solution of their own.

The boys had to meet with Core Values judges to perform a teamwork task and answer questions about using the FLL values during this year’s challenge and in their daily lives.

The technical judges questioned the team on their robot design, programming and strategy.

The boys not only had a great time but learned valuable science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills as a result of participating in this program.

They are already looking forward to next year.

 

About Southwestern Michigan College

Southwestern Michigan College is a public, residential and commuter, community college, founded in 1964. The college averages in the top 10 percent nationally for student academic success based upon the National Community College Benchmark Project. Southwestern Michigan College strives to be the college of first choice, to provide the programs and services to meet the needs of students, and to serve our community. The college is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.