Northern Kentucky University will once again host the Kentucky FIRST LEGO League (FLL) state championship on Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Nearly 500 students from across the Commonwealth will meet in NKU’s Regents Hall to find out if they have what it takes to build the best LEGO-built robot in the state.
The joint event includes both the Junior State Expo for ages 6 to 9 and the Kentucky’s Robotics Championships for ages 9 to 14.
Photo provided from last year’s event.
The competition includes a two-part challenge based upon a real-world scientific topic. This year’s theme—City Shapers—will challenge teams to create a stronger, more sustainable future by empowering the places we call home to reach new heights. Forty-eight teams of up to 10 members each are expected to participate.
Students will program an autonomous robot to score points on a themed playing field and will develop a solution to a problem they have identified. The competition is guided by FIRST LEGO league core values — discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork and fun.
“Each of the FLL’s core values reflect a mindset we need across STEM disciplines today. That’s what makes this event great. Students of all ages are creatively developing their skills in a fun and empowering way,” said Beth Koch, robotics program coordinator at NKU.
What: FIRST LEGO League (FLL) State Championship
When: Feb. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Where: Griffin Hall, Votruba Student Union and Regents Hall at NKU
This year’s tournament is supported by a grant from NASA, and additional funding from Duke Energy. It is organized and supported by NKU’s Center for Integrative Natural Science and Mathematics (CINSAM) in the College of Arts and Sciences.
This will be NKU’s sixth-straight year hosting the FLL championships. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Kenton Drive Garage for $5. For more information, visit cinsam.nku.edu.
