Eastern Missouri FIRST Lego League event set for Saturday

Robots galore are in store during the Eastern Missouri FIRST Lego League event Saturday at the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University.

Volunteer coordinator Brad Deken, who also is chairman of Polytechnic Studies at Southeast, said 23 teams of eight to 10 students will be participating from Southeast Missouri and the St. Louis area, up from 16 last year. Participants range from 9 to 14 years old.

Teams are set to arrive about 9 a.m., and Deken expects the event to end at 4:30 or 5 p.m. This is the second year the university has hosted the competition.

Winners advance to the Eastern Missouri championship Dec. 7 at St. Louis Community College in Florissant, Missouri.

"We're excited to see that it's growing down here," Deken said. "Our goal is to make this kind of thing accessible to everybody. You don't have be the best science kid, the best math kid to do well in this. It takes all kinds of people to put these things together and do well."

Teams will be judged on robot design and how well the squads work together. This year's theme is "World Class Learning Unleashed." Last year's theme dealt with preventing and responding to natural disasters.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address: One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, MO

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FIRST stands for Inspiration and recognition of science and technology.

More information on the competition is available at http://www.usfirst.org/

More local information is available at stlfirst.org