December 5, 2012

York Technical College to Host Annual Robotics Competition for Middle School Students

ROCK HILL—On Friday, December 7, middle school students from across the region will compete in a nationwide robotics competition to be held at York Technical College. The top teams from Friday’s competition will advance to the state championship.

The event, sponsored by the FIRST LEGO League, combines hands-on, interactive robotics using the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System with the atmosphere of a sporting event. The program is co-sponsored by the LEGO Company and FIRST, an organization whose mission is to excite young people about the fun, accessibility and importance of science and engineering.

The competition begins at 9 a.m. at the college’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing and will conclude at approximately 2:30 p.m. Peak action is expected between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

This year's competition will attract more than 20 teams (of 10 players each), including local teams from Chester, Great Falls, Lancaster, Kershaw, Clover, Rock Hill, and Fort Mill as well as teams from private schools, 4-H groups and others.

Teams also face an assigned challenge each year that emulates a real world event or situation. Through this year’s Senior Solutions challenge, competitors interviewed seniors (age 60 and above) to determine a project in which the team could propose solutions to make life easier for the elderly. This valuable competition allows students the freedom to creatively solve problems, develop communication skills, hone teamwork skills, and practice their presentations skills.

Two or three teams competing at York Tech will advance to the state competition, where they will compete with teams from each of the 14 other qualifying events for the state championship. Statewide winners will advance to the nationals, and national champions will advance to the international competition.

To learn more about FIRST LEGO League nationwide, visit www.firstlegoleague.org or www.usfirst.org.

York Technical College / 452 South Anderson Road / Rock Hill, SC 29730