FIRST Lego League at Palisades Middle School

Ike Aherne, Senior 

(A team member works on a project during the FIRST Lego League competition)

Photo courtesy of: FIRST Lego League

The opportunity of participating in a FIRST Lego League team benefits students in many ways, helping them recognize problems in the world, coming up with solutions, and making academics more interesting. The goal of the program is to build communities of forward thinking youth who will benefit their area and the world. Students are engaged in hands-on STEM experiences, which is a core part of the program. They build confidence, grow their knowledge and develop habits of learning that will benefit them in the real world. When teachers and mentors coach these students, they encourage them to try their hardest, possibly fail, and still try again, while connecting more exciting concepts to real-world examples.

The Palisades Middle School FIRST Lego League team is dubbed the “Cyberseeds,” which appears to be a play on the high school team name, the Cybersonics, who compete in the FIRST  Robotics Competition and were founded in 1997. The first competition is nearing for the Cyberseeds, who hope to make the school proud, as the talented Cybersonics team has. 

The best thing about FIRST Lego League is that all skill levels are welcomed and needed, which makes for a great environment for kids from all backgrounds and walks of life. Teams need all kinds of skills and creativity to succeed, so you can contribute to what you do best. Chances are that there is a job for you within the team structure, and there are also many opportunities to grow academically and personally. 

Even better, the most successful coaches are people with an interest in science and technology, who may want to learn more as they help kids discover and learn more about different topics; however, no special technical skills are required and  anyone who wants to be a coach will receive all the training and help they need along with a multitude of resources. With these systems in place, it is very easy to create your own team to compete with, and it is relatively cheap as well. 

Youth team members are encouraged to bring along any skills or interests they already have that could benefit the team as a whole, but most importantly, a desire to learn and solve problems as a team is what will set your group apart and lead to more success. FIRST Lego League teams will welcome every student, with or without any special skills. And to end, a standout quote that can definitely appeal to some kids and shows the kindhearted and inclusive nature of this learning experience: “This is the only sport where if you show up, you can play.”