36-Teams Compete to Build the Best Bot during 8th Annual Tournament
WHO: Thirty-six robots constructed of LEGO pieces will be put through their paces on Sunday, Dec. 9, during the Finger Lakes FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournament hosted by the University of Rochester.
TIME, DATE, PLACE: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, at the Goergen Athletic Center on the University of Rochester's River Campus.
9 a.m. to noon: Morning activities include judged presentations from each team.
1 to 3:30 p.m.: The tournament continues with the robotic competition, which may provide the best photo and video opportunities.
4 to 5 p.m.: Closing ceremony.
WHAT: Can FIRST® LEGO® League teams improve the quality of life for seniors by helping them continue to be independent, engaged, and connected in their communities? In the 2012 SENIOR SOLUTIONS Challenge, teams will explore the topic of aging and how it may affect a person's ability to maintain his or her lifestyle—solving issues like getting around, keeping in touch, and staying fit.
Teams will research obstacles and then suggest ways to improve the quality of life for the seniors affected. Teams will also build, test, and program an autonomous robot using a LEGO MINDSTORMS® robot to solve a set of missions on an obstacle course. Throughout their experience, teams will operate under FLL's core values.
ABOUT THE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE: The FLL, a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Company, was created to inspire children ages nine through 14 to celebrate science and technology. Students work alongside adult mentors, learning how to build and program robots that can solve real-life challenges. This year, more than 100 teams from the Finger Lakes region have competed in six qualifier tournaments in hopes of making it to the championship.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information about the competition, please call on-site media contact Liz Yockel at 585.410.0543.