Elementary and middle school students from across Mississippi are scheduled to gather at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gautier on Jan. 30 to participate in the state Championship FIRST LEGO League Tournament.
The 2009 tournament originally was scheduled in December but postponed due to weather concerns that organizers feared would make travel unsafe for teams.
The theme for this year’s competition is Smart Move. During the tournament, Mississippi students ages 9 to 14 will present research on transportation and how to overcome problems that prevent people and things from moving safely and efficiently within communities.
In addition, students will compete with team-designed, autonomous LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robots to finish tasks on a four-foot-by-eight-foot LEGO® playing field.
The public is invited to the free event. Teams will spend the morning in judging sessions focused on research, design and teamwork. The official competition begins with an opening ceremony at about 12:45 p.m.
Following the opening ceremony, teams will participate in three rounds of robot competition. Winners and awards will be announced during an afternoon closing ceremony.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League is designed as a hands-on method to increase student knowledge of science, engineering, technology and mathematics. NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center supports the FIRST LEGO League by providing mentors and training, as well as competition judges and referees, audiovisual staff and other volunteer personnel.
For information about the Mississippi Championship FIRST LEGO League Tournament, call Katie Wallace at 228-688-7744 or Randall Hicks at 228-688-3653.
For information about the FIRST LEGO League program, visit:
http://www.firstlegoleague.org.
For information about Stennis Space Center, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/.
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text-only version of this release
Chris McGee, NASA News Chief
NASA Public Affairs Office
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
(228) 688-3249
Christopher.Mcgee@nasa.gov