Robertsville’s LEGO team receives a check for $1,000 as the school wins the East Tennessee LEGO Tournament, advancing to the world tournament next spring. From left are Marie Westfall of Oak Ridge Associated Universities and Robertsville students Maddy Buckner, Eric Thornton, Caden Webb, and Rhyannon Karney. (Submitted photo)
Oak Ridge’s Robertsville Middle School’s LEGO team—using miniature robots to perform required functions on a table—has once again earned a spot in next spring’s world LEGO tournament in St. Louis after winning Saturday’s East Tennessee championship in Cookeville, a press release said.
The team only found out two weeks before the region tournament that it was going to be able to compete after having earlier had to cancel.
“The last two weeks have seen us being at school about three to four days a week from after school until the end of the day,” said Lisa Buckner, one of Robertsville’s coaches. “What was really cool was the fact the kids who had dropped out because of other commitments that came up still came back to help the team get ready. In the end, the whole team worked to finish it even though only four could come to the tournament.”
Robertsville beat out 59 teams for the East Tennessee championship, the press release said. Robertsville will now prepare to compete in its fourth world tournament.
In addition to the miniature robots table performance, teams were also interviewed by teams of judges regarding the design procedures they followed, as well as other tasks that were undertaken and challenges that had to be overcome from the time the teams began preparing earlier this fall until the day of the tournament.
Angi Agle says
Great job! Thanks to the kids who give up their time to learn and compete, as well as to the adults and sponsors who make it possible.