Teams from Alton, Wolfeboro to compete in FIRST LEGO League Championship

WINDHAM — Creativity and science will come together at this weekend’s FIRST LEGO League New Hampshire State Championship at Windham High School, where 50 teams of nine- to 14-year-old children, and their coaches, will demonstrate problem-solving skills, creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play, sportsmanship, and sense of community.

The Astro-Bobz from Alton Bay, and the Astro Llamas from Wolfeboro are among the teams across the state who will participate in the competition this weekend.

For the Into Orbit Challenge, teams will have to program their LEGO MINDSTORMS robots to solve a set of missions on an obstacle course set on a thematic playing surface. Game missions include Space Travel, Crater Crossing, Space Walk Emergency, Meteoroid Deflection, and Lander Touch-Down. For the challenge, FIRST LEGO League collaborated with representatives from the European Space Agency, NASA, Buzz Aldrin Space Institute, International Planetarium Society and U.S. Geological Survey. These specialists created a theme, and challenge missions tho reflect physical and social problems associated with long-duration space flight. 

The competition will be judged in three areas, project, robot design, and core values, including aspects of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Top robot game scores will also be honored.                        

In its 20th year, FIRST LEGO League anticipates participation by 40,000 teams in 98 countries. Teams will have the opportunity to participate at the FIRST LEGO League World Festivals, to be held in conjunction with the FIRST Championships in Houston and Detroit in April.

This weekend’s New Hampshire Championship Tournament is sponsored by BAE Systems, Inc.