OskyBots Host Their First-Ever Regional Scrimmage

The OskyBots FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team consists of youth in 4th-6th grade.

The OskyBots FIRST LEGO League (FLL) team consists of youth in 4th-6th grade. Team members have been meeting since early September to learn about LEGO Mindstorms robotics, teamwork, gracious professionalism, and how to complete their challenge. This year’s FLL challenge is “World Class” and the members had to figure out how people learn, about different learning syles, and how to apply technology into making learning more accessible, fun, and engaging. The OskyBots decided to focus on kids their own age and how they learn best through instructional videos. The team members created “How-To” YouTube videos for LEGO Mindstorms robotics. They met every Tuesday and Thursday for an hour and a half each night. The team members and volunteers put a lot of time, hard work, and dedication into this season.

The OskyBots hosted their first-ever regional invitational scrimmage on November 22. Five teams took part in the scrimmage and over 100 people were in attendance. The OskyBots plan to host another scrimmage next season due to the great success of this year’s event. The OskyBots attended the Regional Qualifier event in Ottumwa at Indian Hills Community College on December 6. Though the team did not advance to the state competition to be held at Iowa State University in January, they placed 11th out of 28 teams.

FLL is a great opportunity for boys and girls to gain skills in technology, engineering, design, teamwork, professionalism, and communication. The OskyBots is a special interest 4-H club and is coordinated by Mahaska County 4-H through ISU Extension and Outreach in Mahaska County. They will hold summer practice sessions in June, any interested youth may attend practice sessions at no cost. FLL will begin a new season at the end of August 2015. It costs only $30 to join FLL and includes a t-shirt. The OskyBots would like to thank their coaches, Mike Mitchell and Kevin Schippers; their adult mentors, Chad Harbour and Jamie Leonard; the Penn Central Mall for their meeting location; and Musco Lighting, Cablevey Conveyors, United Way of Mahaska County, and Mahaska County 4-H for program funding.

If you are interested in joining FLL or volunteering with FLL, we would love to hear from you. Please call 641-673-5841, email vermeera@iastate.edu, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/mahaska/4h or “Like” our Facebook page at Facebook.com/mahaska4h for more information.