NeXT GEN team members with their first place Robot Performance Award and
first place Champion's Award LEGO trophies. Front Row: Daniel Adams, Andrew
Hauser, Rachael Huxford, and Devon Jobe. Middle Row: Levi Lantz, Rebecca
Lee, Zachary Frick, and Colin Lynch. Back Row: Student Mentor Aaron Lantz
and Coaches Willie & Arlene Lantz, Phil Malone, and Jason Jobe. (Coach Roni
DiGioia not pictured)
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The NeXT GEN Southern Middle FIRST LEGO League Team earns top honors and
will attend the very first, ever, "FIRST LEGO League United States Open
Championship" at the Wright State University Campus in Dayton, Ohio on May
7-9, 2009.
The team earned this honor at the Pittsburgh, PA FLL Championship event on
December 6, 2008. The competition was held at the National Robotics
Engineering Center. NeXT GEN received first place with the robot missions
on the table with a score of 340 out of 400, first place in research, second
place in mechanical design, third place in teamwork, and they were in the
top 10 for programming. The team received a callback in every area! This
earned them the first place "Champion's Award" out of the 70 teams
competing. "They have worked hard since September and have truly earned the
honor of attending this FLL US Open Championship!" stated coach Arlene
Lantz.
At this US Open Championship, the students will meet and work with teams
from all over the country. One team from every championship tournament in
the United States will be invited to this open championship tournament.
They are expecting 60 teams to attend to experience some unique
opportunities in the Dayton area.
The team would like to thank the Garrett County Board of Education, Dr.
Harry Swartz, Ken and Harold Harris of Harris Pools, Jim Hart of the Garrett
County Planetarium, Bruce Taliaferro of Hickory Environmental Center, Willie
Lantz and Sherry Frick of the Extension Office, and Phil Malone of Web
Energy Logger all who helped and contributed to the team's winning research
project. A special thanks to Mark Craig of Craig & Associates for his
continued support to the team. He provided lunch for the team at the
Pittsburgh Championship. Also to Keith Handyside of Black Bear Enterprises
who provides the team shirts. If other individual or businesses would like
to support the team's trip to the FLL US Open Championship, they may send
their tax deductible donation to GEARS, P.O. Box 277, McHenry, MD 21541.
Please put FLL Team #745 on the memo.
