FIRST Lego League goes from strength to strength

July 2020 News

FIRST (for inspiration and recognition of science and technology) is an international organisation that aims to generate an interest in mathematics, science and technology through the use of robotics programs. The building blocks are Lego. Competing against other teams, participants research and solve real-world problems, present their research and solutions, and build an autonomous robot using engineering concepts. Bringing robotics technology to students in disadvantaged communities can have a profound impact at every level.

While the Covid pandemic brought the world to a standstill, the FIRST community has been working very hard to adopt new ways of doing and thinking and has unveiled a fresh new look for FIRST Lego League (FLL). The new program now encompasses three divisions: FLL Discover for ages 4 to 6, FLL Explore for ages 6 to 10, and FLL Challenge for ages 9 to 16. With the growing number of teams and FIRST programs in South Africa and neighbouring countries, FIRST SA has also expanded its key management team.

To increase the growth and support of teams before the new season launch amid the constraints of Covid, FIRST SA is hosting a Virtual Live Learning Programme using the Virtual Robotics Toolkit, Google classroom and LEGO Digital Designer. This is made possible by generous support from its gracious sponsors and donors: in-person regional competitions are planned for early 2021 and FIRST is also developing a remote competition option for the Explore and Challenge competitions.

The dedicated FIRST SA team is committed to developing a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the youth of Southern Africa: visit https://instrumentation.co.za/papers/EI&C64.pdf

More information at www.firstsa.org

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