Spencerville Adventist Academy Hosts LEGO Robotics Tournament

Story by Evan Knott / Images courtesy Chesapeake Conference and Stephen Lee

Seven teams from four Adventist schools recently converged on Chesapeake Conference's Spenceville Adventist Academy (Md.) for the Mid Atlantic Adventist Robotics League FIRST LEGO League Qualifying Tournament.

Four teams from Chesapeake Conference schools participated in the all-day competition: the “Hobbots” from Frederick (Md.) Adventist Academy (FAA) and “Delivery Co.,” “YES,” and “One Wheel Wonders” from Spencerville Adventist Academy (SAA). 

Robots designed and programmed by each team earned points by completing tasks during three 2.5 minute matches. Winners were selected for robot design, robot performance, innovation project, and core values. 

Teams from South Lancaster Academy (Mass.) and New Jersey Conference's Tranquility Adventist School in Andover also participated. 

“FIRST LEGO League robotics competitions provide excellent opportunities for young people to work collaboratively to solve authentic, real-world problems,” says Kimberly Terry, SAA Elementary STEM coordinator. “We are fortunate to have the Adventist Robotics League, which affords our Adventist young people the chance to participate on Sundays, whereas many other competitions occur on Saturdays.”

Students were excited to participate in the event and showcase their team’s programming and problem-solving skills.

“The most exciting part was working together and seeing the improvements during the competition,” says Colton Nichols of FAA’s “Hobbots” team.

Lance Jordache, captain of SAA’s “One Wheel Wonders” team, enjoyed confronting challenges with his teammates. “Working with robots is fun, especially working through the coding of the missions. It’s better to have more people rather than having to work alone.”

Teams that qualified during Sunday’s tournament were invited to participate in the Adventist Robotics FIRST LEGO League Championship on May 1 in Orlando, Fla.

“It was great that students from different schools could gather together when we have been separated for so long,” says Jake Villanueva, FAA teacher. “It was great to see our schools valuing STEM and the students having fun.”