BOSTON SCIENTIFIC MINNESOTA FIRST LEGO LEAGUE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday, February 20, 2016 Washington Technology Magnet School, St. Paul, MN VOLUNTEER AWARDS High Tech Kids Special Volunteer Award This person started the FIRST LEGO League program at their school 10 years ago. She has remained active in helping the teams at her children s schools, even after her kids have aged out of FIRST LEGO League. She has been a project judge since 2009 and has always helped us at our largest tournament of the year, the Minneapolis Public School tournament. The Award for Special Volunteer for her many years of volunteering at Burroughs and High Tech Kids goes to: Award Jan Fransen Award David Barrett Coaches Award This coach has been coaching FIRST LEGO League since 2012 in St. Paul Public Schools and has seen remarkable success in coaching multiple teams. He never misses a training, is always willing to help, and is full of dedication and enthusiasm for FIRST LEGO League and for his kids at Farnsworth. Our award winner is: Official s Award This year we have one of each. The first award given to a person who started as a coach and wanted to learn a little more about how to improve his team, so he volunteered to be a core values judge. After his team aged out, he began volunteering as a referee. Since that time, this person has continued to referee and head referee for a number of tournaments. He also helps at the 3M volunteer and robotics fairs. It s great to have Scott Boyd working the tables. Next we have a judge, who I tracked back to 2004 (and she may have been involved before that.) She has been a Core Values or Programming Judge every year since then. When our program was really growing and we were short volunteers, she worked at 5 tournaments at least 3 years in a row. Always volunteering, and providing insight on judging, I would like to thank Sue Evans for so many years of dedicated service. Award s Scott Boyd and Sue Evans
Tournament Leadership Award There is another crucial role at all of our FIRST LEGO League tournaments, and that is those folks who make sure you can see the scores on the screen, organize the Head to Head tournament, and also create reports for our judges. We would like to honor a volunteer who has helped at our regional, sectionals and state tournaments and has been very involved with our Rochester tournaments. Award Al Weiner High Tech Kids Leadership Award High Tech Kids has been hosting our tournaments at this location, Washington Technology Magnet School, for 6 years. It is an amazing facility for this program. Besides the wonderful youth volunteers from their robotics teams and ROTC group, and their lovely building, there is a key person that makes it possible for High Tech Kids to be in this facility on both Friday and Saturday. For many years, she has worked with us, so that this event runs smoothly, that we have access to the spaces we need, and she lives out the values of FIRST LEGO League by her respect, teamwork, professionalism and graciousness. Thanks so much for your many years of helping us make this State Championship a great experience for both our volunteers and teams. Please join me in congratulating, the Athletic Director of Washington Technology, Award Jeanne Kranz YOUTH AWARDS HTK Young Mentor & Young Leadership Awards High Tech Kids has two awards for our student leaders and volunteers: The Young Mentor Award and the Young Leadership Award. Young Mentor/Young Leadership Nominees Roman Bennetti Mason Korkowski Anna Marie Mitchell Bethany Moore Anne Nelson
Young Mentor Award The Young Mentor award is presented to the outstanding young mentor of a FIRST LEGO League team. The award is open to students 18 and under, who reach out to the community and help other teams. Judges are looking for evidence of an effective mentoring "style", skills in transmitting and fostering cognitive and social skills, emotional growth and support. The winner also receives a $250 college scholarship from High Tech Kids. Quote about winner Young Mentor In her third year of mentoring a Courage Center team, this young woman helps her students define how to approach a problem, not only what the problems are, when identifying aspects of the team to improve. As she guides them to think through each step of the problem-solving process, she helps her students work on their communication skills by recognizing the validity of each others ideas. She helps her team work through their arguments, anger and behavioral problems by redirecting them until they calm down. By cross-training the members and encouraging them to find their passions, Team SuperBacon has a high member retention rate. Thank you for your excellent mentorship, Bethany Moore! Bethany Moore Young Leadership Award The Young Leadership award is presented to the outstanding youth with skills in transmitting and fostering cognitive social skills while having a sustainable impact on the FLL community. The award is open to students 18 and under, who reach out to the community, help other teams and act as a leader in promoting FIRST LEGO League. The winner also receives a $250 college scholarship from High Tech Kids. Quote about winner Young Leadership This young woman works hard to create and inspire STEM and FIRST LEGO League in her city. After starting the three initial FLL teams there and realizing that the program was not sustainable, she engaged the school district. Beyond this, she created a nonprofit to fund the teams and train coaches With this non-profit, 8 of the 12 public, private and charter elementary schools in Bloomington now have an FLL team. Her insight into the makeup of the community s schools and her non-profit CISTEM ( system ) B has enhanced Bloomington s FIRST and STEM environments. Though she is currently in Indiana competing with her FTC team, we still thank Anne Nelson for all she does! Anne Nelson
RESEARCH AWARDS Research Quality Award The Research Award is presented to the team that best develops an in-depth and thorough understanding of the Research Challenge. They have the most thorough research and explanation of their teams' topic and Solution. 2342 Assume Good Intentions 2893 Electronic Bionics 6465 Hexagonal Awesomeness 21848 - Warbotics 6465 Hexagonal Awesomeness Innovative Solution Award The Innovative Solution Award is presented to the team that has the most thought provoking and innovative resolution to the research challenge assignment. The judges are not only looking for creative ideas, but an examination of all the issues required implementing the solution. 857 The Mad Hatters 2342 Assume Good Intentions 2342 Assume Good Intentions 2893 Electronic Bionics 4229 Marshall Tapirs of the 8 th Dimension 4229 Marshall Tapirs of the 8 th Dimension Creative Presentation Award The Presentation Award is presented to the team with the most imaginative and creative presentation demonstrating the teams' research and solution to the Research Challenge Assignment. 2893 Electronic Bionics 20314 Recyclones 4942 TechnoZephs 20314 Recyclones 21848 Warbotics
Robot Performance Award PERFORMANCE AWARDS The Performance awards are presented to the teams with the top scores from the morning rounds. These 2 teams had the highest scores in the morning rounds. 2nd Place 4956 Team Tec Man With a score of: 772 1st Place With a score of: 815 Robot Head to Head Awards The Robot Head to Head awards are presented to the top 4 teams in the head to head round this afternoon. These teams survived the tough competition in these afternoon matches and came out on top. 4 th Place With a score of: 515 3 rd Place 2893 Electronic Bionics With a score of: 567 11026 Keep Calm and LEGO On With a score of: 485 4956 Team Tec Man With a score of: 732 Teamwork Award CORE VALUES AWARDS Teamwork is the key to a successful team but is very hard to define and accomplish. It s important to recognize teams that do it well. Judges look for teams who work well together during the task specific activities during the day of the tournament. 17 The Brick Bombers 1758 Fantastic Four 1758 Fantastic Four 8188 FLL Minions
Gracious Professionalism Award The Gracious Professionalism Award is presented to the teams best showing good sportsmanship. Gracious Professionalism occurs when teammates, opponents, coaches, and officials treat each other with respect. Nominees for this award come from other teams during the day and may be for a specific incident or an overall attitude of great sportsmanship. From the nominating team: Second Place This team, while down from some bad performance runs, was still very gracious and helpful. 2610 Robo-Ticks From a Referee: Inspiration Award First Place When a team member was having trouble with an attachment during a performance run, another team member stepped in but did not take over. The 2 nd team member took the time (during the 2 ½ minutes) to use it as a teaching moment and showed the first team member how to attach the piece, despite time ticking down. 18763 Cybernetic Crusaders The Inspiration award is presented to the team best demonstrating extraordinary enthusiasm and team spirit both within their own team and in their support and encouragement of fellow teams. The Inspiration award is selected by the referees who observe the spirit shown by all teams in the performance arena, cheering on their teams and robots. From the Referees: From the Referees: Second Place For continuing an FLL tradition of GREAT fish mascots and endless dancing (even when resting!), please congratulate 3904 Trash Talkers First Place For constant cheering and screaming for EVERYONE and EVERYTHING, our Inspiration Award goes to 2343 Party Verse
TECHNICAL AWARDS Mechanical Design Award The Mechanical Design Award is presented to the team with the best understanding and application of sound mechanical principles. 7929 Team ATHENA 4228 Marshall Plasma LEGOs 7929 Team ATHENA 18763 Cybernetic Crusaders Strategy and Innovation Award The Strategy and Innovative Award is presented the team that best demonstrates its ability to use a creative design, component or unique strategy of play when solving the Challenge missions. 17 The Brick Bombers 1758 Fantastic Four 4228 Marshal Platinum LEGOs 4228 Marshall Plasma LEGOs Programming Award This award recognizes teams that are able to design programs that consistently complete complex tasks. Programming robots is a notoriously difficult problem and these teams have excelled at it. 2454 Duplo Squid 3831 Simple But Effective 2454 Duplo Squid 3831 Simple But Effective 7476 Rubbish Wreckers 8364 Pequot Lakes Purple Cobras 16731 Tiger Bots JUDGES AWARDS Judges Award The Judges award is a free-form award selected by the judges to recognize significant team accomplishments that may not fit other categories. In all cases, the judges concurred that these three teams were well-rounded, highly capable teams deserving of additional recognition. 17 Brick Bombers 16731 Tiger Bots 21848 Warbotics
CHAMPION S AWARDS The Champion s Award is presented to the team that best combines performance in the competitive aspects of FLL, teamwork and represents the true meaning of FLL in its enthusiasm and inspiration to others. This is the most prestigious award, and this year in Minnesota we have a 3 rd, 2 nd and award. These selected teams carry the honor of serving as a role model by demonstrating respect, encouragement, and continued gracious professionalism in the heat of competition, both in and out of the arena. This year it s exciting to announce that both the first place team will have an invitation to represent Minnesota at the 2015 World Festival in St. Louis MO on April 27-30. The 2 nd place winner will be invited to the North American Open at LEGOLAND in California from May 20-22. The 3 rd place winner will have an exciting opportunity to represent Minnesota at the Razorback Invitational at the University of Arkansas from May 19-22. 191 JP Rockslide 1758 Fantastic Four 4956 Team Tec Man 7929 Team ATHENA 16731 Tiger Bots Third Place Second Place 1758 Fantastic Four Champion