RAIDER SPOTLIGHT

Benjamin Logan Middle School demonstrated that their students were top of their class in this year’s 2014 First Lego League season World Class: Learning Unleashed!  The Ohio FLL program divides the state into five regions.  Benjamin Logan fielded 8 teams in the highly competitive Dayton Region.  BLMS’s teams competed at the 24 team Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Regional Tournament on December 13, 2014; and one team advanced to the 40 team Ohio Youth Robotics Wayne Warrior FLL District Tournament on January 10^th and 11^th, 2015.  Teams were judged and ranked in all three categories of FLL: the Project, Core Values, and Robot Design in addition to the Robot Game.  The project this year asked teams to fill in the research question: How can we improve the way someone learns [the topic of their choice].  Once the teams had a research question, teams were asked to contact experts and conduct related research, create an innovative way to assist the learners learn their topic, and then share that idea with others. 8^th Grade Team Captain Conaxel and the LegO Ladies won the Project Research Award to recognize their quality research and innovative solution for their research project: How can we improve the way someone learns to ride a bike.  Captain Conaxel and the LegO Ladies were also the team that earned the advancement to the District Tournament through their outstanding scores in all three judging areas and having a robot score well in the robot game.  BLMS also had another award winning team.  6^th Grade Team Rockin’ Robots won the Core Values Teamwork Award recognizing their enthusiasm, spirit, exceptional partnership that clearly shows this team understands they can accomplish more together than as individuals.  Surprising their coach, Amy McCormick, the 8 teams and mentors Chris Coffield and Jason Miller had secretly nominated her for the Adult Coach Award, and this nomination earned her award.