Tradition continues in the Southern Tier

The question of the day on Saturday, November 19, at Houghton College, was which school was going to get to take the coveted Lego Trophy home with them for the year.  By the end of the day, at the Closing Ceremonies, it was revealed that the Ellicottville Decepticons team would earn that right.

There's more, so much more, to Lego League than trophies and winning.  The mantra of the program has always been its' Core Values, which are as follows:

• We are a team.
• We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors.
• We know our coaches and mentors don't have all the answers; we learn together.
• We honor the spirit of friendly competition.
• What we discover is more important than what we win.
• We share our experiences with others.
• We display Gracious Professionalism™ and Coopertition™ in everything we do.
• We have FUN!

Walking through the Pit and Tournament Areas, it was inspiring to witness nearly one hundred 9-14 year olds  spontaneously and genuinely practicing these Core Values, and having fun doing it!  This season's topic  was called  Food Factor and dealt with food safety and contamination risks.  At a glance, this fast-paced event looks and sounds like a huge sporting event, with cheering, referees, stopwatches and the added excitement of team  created Lego Robots.

First Lego League was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology.  Each year accessible and innovative programs are designed to motivate kids to get excited about research, engineering, math and problem solving, while building self-confidence, knowledge and life skills.  A different themed challenge is chosen each year and it's always a contemporary topic that real-life experts are trying to solve.

Congratulations to the 10 teams and their devoted coaches who became experts in their field, all in 8 weeks:  Bolivar-Richburg Avengers and Red Dragons, Portville Microb Busters and the Bacteria Killing Agency, Randolph Lego Warriors, Ellicottville Decepticons and Roboblitz, Fillmore Meatheads, Allegany-Limestone Lego Farm Troopers, and Newfane Panther Invaders.

At the Closing Ceremonies, each participant and coach received a medal and certificate acknowledging their accomplishment. Three teams will be advancing to the Championship Tournament at the University of Rochester on Sunday, December 4.  They are:

Champions 1^st Place and Robot Performance 1^st Place: Ellicottville Decepticons, coached by Chris Edwards

Champions 2^nd Place: Ellicottville Roboblitz, coached by Blair Wood

Judges Award: Fillmore Meatheads, coached by Melissa Cahill

It's never too early to start thinking about next year's challenge: Senior Solutions.  Do you know any 9-14 year olds who have innovative ideas on how to improve the quality of life for seniors by helping them stay independent, engaged, and connected in their communities?  Then, plan ahead  to join in the fun and have a team at next year's competition.  Call Cindy Crandall at 716-376-8284 or Jean Oliverio at 716-376-8323 for more information.