The first time a tournament was located in the South Bay (Manhattan Beach, CA) it turned into the largest tournament in California with 19 teams competing from as far away as San Diego and Tehachapi.
Hope to see more pictures posted here.
Team 696 and their Lego League team
Team 696 and their Lego League team 2
Team 294 webmaster George Chen as Judge and Emcee of awards
notice the giant video screens in use at the tournament.
Contact:
Cheryl Miller, Team Mom
310-944-9334 H 310-963-9337 cell 310-944-9336 fax cheryl@bcrobotics.org
November 23, 2003
Immediate Release
Southern California Children Blast off to Explore Mars!
A couple hundred youngsters came together Saturday, November 22, at Manhattan Beach Middle School for the Los Angeles Regional State Qualifier FLL Tournament, the first time a tournament has been in the South Bay. Nineteen teams competed, making it the largest qualifying tournament in all of California. Elemental Media Group, teachers of local Lego Mindstorm workshops for elementary and junior high students, partnered with Beach Cities Robotics www.bcrobotics.org to put on the tournament. Aaron Braskin of Elemental Media Group exclaimed, “They said we couldn’t get a tournament together on such short notice. They said we were crazy to try to have a tournament of 20 competitors. Not only have we done it, we’ve done it well.”
The tournament www.scrrf.org/fll took place on Saturday, November 22, 2003, at Manhattan Beach Middle School. FLL team members mustered all their resources, wit and creativity as they solved technological problems using LEGO elements as their tools. Manhattan Beach Mayor Jim Aldinger presented the following awards…
Research Quality #106 The Schmall Schmoes from Cerritos
Innovative Research #198 Summit Seekers
Creative Research #1683 Little Green Men from Manhattan Beach
Team Spirit #1490 MegaBlock Destroyers from Manhattan Beach
Against All Odds #2048 Pocket Protectors
Robust Design #3550 The Warriors from Palos Verdes
Programming Design #198 Summit Seekers
Innovative Design #1190 Tulitians from Mars from Redondo Beach
3rd place Performance #1696 Robo Ghosts from Glendale with a score of 198
2nd place Performance #201 Martian Bulldogs with a score of 203
1st place Performance #1541 LEGOnauts from San Diego with a score of 290 San Diego
Rookie Award #2984 Lego Legends from the Beach Cities
Outstanding Volunteer Beach Cities Robotics Team 294 Kevin Nelson
Adult Coach/Mentor #2652 Coach of Tritons from San Diego
2 judges awards
#2652 Tritons from San Diego for firm grasp on all topics
#1490 MegaBlock Destroyers from Manhattan Beach for most reliable robot
Teamwork #3055 Red Rovers from Edwards Air Force Base
Special Awards
Technical Presentation #2985 Martian Commanders from the Beach Cities
Optimism #201 Martian Masters
Most Supportive Mentor #1683 Little Green Men from Manhattan Beach
Best Use of Sensors #3949 Pink Fuzzy Bunnies of Doom from Palos Verdes
Most Creative Mascot #3949 Pink Fuzzy Bunnies of Doom from Palos Verdes
Director’s Award - most prestigious award, those that perform well in all major award categories.
3rd place #1407 Ctrl-Alt-Delete from Brentwood
2nd place #1522 Sonic from Cypress
1st place #1550 Mars Monkeys from La Canada
The following teams earned the right to compete at the LEGOLAND State Tournament Saturday, December 6.
#1550 Mars Monkeys from La Canada
#1522 Sonic from Cypress
#1407 Ctrl-Alt-Delete from Brentwood
#201 Martian Bulldogs
#1696 Robo Ghosts from Glendale
#3550 The Warriors from Palos Verdes
#1490 MegaBlock Destroyers from Manhattan Beach
#1683 Little Green Men from Manhattan Beach
#1190 Tulitians from Mars from Redondo Beach
#3949 Pink Fuzzy Bunnies of Doom from Palos Verdes
#2984 Lego Legends from the Beach Cities
#2985 Martian Commanders from the Beach Cities
#1522 Sonic from Cypress
FLL is known as the friendly, high-tech sporting event that challenges its young participants to design, program and build fully autonomous robots using the LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ Robotics Invention System™. Teams of up to 10 children and an adult coach are given a problem that requires them to create a programmed robot capable of implementing their unique solution to successfully complete the Challenge. This year’s Challenge, Mission to Mars, required teams to build a robot to face the very similar challenges found by scientists and engineers at NASA.
“FIRST LEGO League is about reaching these kids when it’s important”, says FIRST Founder, Dean Kamen. “This is a crucial time in their lives and the more positive experiences they have with science, math and technology, the better chance they have for success in their future. The FIRST LEGO League does what no other program does in that it gets the disinterested, interested by showing these kids that they can succeed in science and math and they can have a blast doing it!”
Inspiring curiosity among 9-14 year olds in science and technology is the goal of the FIRST LEGO League. Developed by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) through a partnership with the LEGO Company, FLL presents an interactive program that captivates kids interest in science and technology as they learn the dynamics of teamwork and problem solving. “One of the biggest problems we talk about in schools right now is that we spend a lot of time giving kids things to do, but not a lot of time telling them what to do with that information,” says one teacher from a California school system. “This program has brought a lot of things to light.” Teams are generated through schools, boy and girl scout troops, YMCAs, and other youth-based organizations. Participants gather for Local and State Tournaments during the month of December, as well as events and exhibitions that continue throughout the year. To learn more about FIRST and its programs, you can visit their web site at www.usfirst.org.
The technology used in the FLL program is from the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System, the result of a ten-year collaboration between LEGO and the MIT Media Labs. The heart of each robot is the RCX, an autonomous microcomputer that can be programmed using a PC. The RCX serves as the brain of the robotic inventions by using light and touch sensors to take input from its environment, process data, and signal output motors to turn on and off. Users first build their robot using over 700 LEGO pieces and then create a program for their invention using RCX Code, a simple, powerful programming language. Next, they download their program to the RCX using a special infrared transmitter. Their creation can then interact with its environment, fully independent from the computer. To learn more about LEGO MINDSTORMS, you can visit their web site at www.legomindstorms.com.
MBMS FLL Team MegaBlock Destroyers Team #1490
www.bcrobotics.org/legoleague.jpg
available in color and 200dpi
We held a 32 team official FLL qualifier in CA this year…
*Originally posted by Kevin A *
**We held a 32 team official FLL qualifier in CA this year… **
puzzled I think they got the numbers off the fll site. Sorry, That’s what they told me!
Despite the inadequate supply of pizza :D, my family and I had a blast! I hope you guys do it again next year 'cause you did a great job this year.
-Kevin
*Originally posted by Kevin Watson *
**Despite the inadequate supply of pizza :D, my family and I had a blast! I hope you guys do it again next year 'cause you did a great job this year.
**
We are doing it again next year. Our family and our team are now hooked. Wonderful tournament, mainly because of Elemental Media’s Ken Brenan.
Best Use of Sensors #3949 Pink Fuzzy Bunnies of Doom from Palos Verdes
Most Creative Mascot #3949 Pink Fuzzy Bunnies of Doom from Palos Verdes
http://www.scrrf.org/fll/images/112203palosverdes72.jpg
Wish I had a pic of their pink fuzzy bunny that they beautifully carried around at the competition.
#1490 MegaBlock Destroyers from Manhattan Beach for most reliable robot
Team Spirit #1490 MegaBlock Destroyers from Manhattan Beach
3rd place Performance #1696 Robo Ghosts from Glendale with a score of 198
http://www.scrrf.org/fll/images/696lego72.jpg
http://www.scrrf.org/fll/images/696lego272.jpg