FIRST LEGO League

The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) program is an excellent way for young people to experience the excitement of technical creativity and gain insights in the possibility of a a technical careers. Participating on an FLL team is a fun way to learn about mechanical design and computer programming as well as teamwork and other life skills. No previous technical or programming experience is required to join a team. The robots are programmed using a "flow chart" rather than a traditional programming language. Coaches often have the help of a technical mentor to teach the team members how to build and program a robot.

In FIRST LEGO League 9- to 14-year-old youngsters learn to design and build autonomous robots using special LEGO kits. The program includes a 10- to 12-week period in which youngsters form teams, develop robots that can respond to individual tasks as part of an overall Challenge, then compete at one of the many tournaments we hold in Oregon and SW Washington. Through this process, youngsters experience the fun and excitement of solving problems in a positive and supportive team environment.

VIDEO SLIDESHOW OF OUR PROGRAMS FROM 2009

Are you new to FIRST LEGO League and LEGO robotics? Each year there are many new coaches, mentors, judges, and referees that get involved for with our program. Focusing on coaching a team for a moment, you should know

• Coaches aren't expected to be technical experts. They focus on organizing the team. The team members are responsible for building the robot, etc.
• We have a special award category at our many Qualifying Tournaments (QT) that is restricted to brand new teams.
• The annual challenge and research project is organized so brand new teams can learn as much or more as an experience team and have a lot of fun doing it. For instance the annual challenge is organized into a set of missions, some much easier than others. A new team should choose two or three simple missions and focus on building a robot to achieve them.
• We offer free workshops for prospective new coaches.
• Teams can be affiliated with schools, scouts, neighborhoods, churches, etc. All that's required is that at least one adult take responsibility for organizing the team and getting it registered.
• If you want to organize a team that is affiliated with your child's school, consider asking your child's teacher for permission to use a classroom for an information meeting of children and adults and ask your child's classmates to take home invitations to their parents. You may want to use the 2010 ORTOP flyer to help get the word out.
• We provide answers to your questions and concerns by email and telephone.
• It's all about learning and fun!

What would I see if I visited a FIRST LEGO League team meeting?
If you visited a FLL team meeting you would see 6 -10 kids, ages 9 – 14, working with a NXT LEGO Mindstorm Robot kit.  A few kids would be using the 1000+ parts in the kit to construct a LEGO Robot with motors, sensors (Light, Touch, Ultrasonic-distance and/or Sound) and the NXT brick that acts as the robot’s computer. The robot would also have 3 or 4 wheels to help it move around. 
Other kids would be at a 4’ x 8‘ mat in a FLL competition table with Smart Move LEGO mission Models. They would be figuring out strategies for the robot’s path or working with LEGO elements to construct attachments for the robot push, pull or lift items on the mission models to achieve the task.

Other team members are on the internet/looking in books researching the team’s Project.  The Project is a 5-minute presentation of the team’s solution to the Body Forward: Engineering Meets Medicine 2010 Project Challenge.
And everyone is working as a team!

See links for what is in an FLL NXT competition kit:
NXT kit
Extra LEGO Elements
NXT-G Software 
When a team purchases a FLL registration the above items are bundled and sold at a discounted cost of $395 (plus S&H)

The 2010 FLL Challenge will be released on September 3rd. In the meantime look at last year's challenge to see what FLL teams do.

See this link for a video explanation of a previous year’s robot mission. 

See this link for details of last year’s Project:

Additional information for adults interested in having their child involved in FIRST LEGO League
PLEASE NOTE------ ORTOP cannot place children onto existing teams, give out coach contact information or connect parents with current coaches. 1) We suggest that you ask at the school office if a FLL team exists and who to contact. 2) Consider starting your own team. 3) Consult this local website for a team matching service.

• Fall 2010 - The FIRST LEGO League Program theme will be Body Foward: Engineering Meets Medicine
• To learn how to start a FIRST LEGO League team and FLL at a Glance in OregonFIRST LEGO Schedule-Costs-Workshops-Grant Opportunity-Resources
• Register for an ORTOP adult training workshop to learn how to be a FLL Coach or Technical Mentor
• ORTOP FIRST LEGO League 2010 Schedule
• Body Forward FLL teams that have registered so far- check date stamp on document

ORTOP Mission Statement

To open doors to the worlds of science and technology for Oregon’s youth, by delivering the FIRST programs to 6- to 18-year-old youngsters, with a focus on reaching those who might not otherwise participate because of their race, gender, or socio-economic status. In addition to FIRST Tech Challenge, ORTOP also implements Jr. FIRST LEGO League and FIRST LEGO League.

ORTOP

To accomplish its mission, ORTOP uses a 3 programs developed and distributed by the FIRST, which stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) an internationally recognized educational foundation located in Manchester, New Hampshire. These three programs are FIRST LEGO League, Junior FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge.

ORTOP is a program of the Oregon University System but is almost entirely volunteer driven. The ORTOP Planning Committee is made up of volunteers from the programs sponsors and partners and well as private individuals. Many adult volunteers will organize and coach teams this year, while close additional volunteers will plan and stage workshops, scrimmages and the Championship Tournament. These volunteers come from many sources, including sponsors and community partners.

FIRST- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science & Technology

An international non-profit organization called FIRST , located in Manchester, NH, organizes an annual network of robotics tournaments under the names FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), FIRST LEGO League (FLL) and Junior FIRST LEGO League(Jr.FLL). FIRST focuses on promoting science and technology to young people. They have formed a network of robotics tournaments that use 3 unique types of robotics kits. Over the last several years, similar robotics tournaments held in other states and countries have proven to be extremely valuable in inspiring young people's interest in science and technology and preparing them to enter tomorrow's workforce. The teams allow the children to serve in a variety of roles:

• Designers
• Builders
• Programmers
• Documentor
• Spirit/Activities Coordinator
• Team Leader

Rather than being a "winner takes all" competition, the tournament provides an exciting opportunity for teams to learn from each other and share their excitement. All team members go home with a medallion. In addition, trophies are awarded in many catagories.

FLL Teams: What to teams do and how do we get started

The FLL policy on the age of team members is nine to fourteen years old.

To participate in the 2009 season, a team member must be younger than fifteen on January 1, 2009. This means that students who turn fifteen in 2009 can participate in the 2009 season. Put another way, those born after January 1, 1994 may participate. Parents of children who were younger than nine on January 1, 2009 should ask the team's coach if the child can participate on the team. Whether or not to include team members younger than 9 is a coach decision. We will have many trophy categories including one reserved for teams made up of students eleven years old or younger. For students in 1st - 3rd grade, Junior FIRST LEGO League is a great and age appropriate alternative to FIRST LEGO League.

The adult coach for each team should register the team at the FIRST LEGO League web site. The registration fee is $200, which stays with FIRST -- the national non-profit organization that organizes tournaments all over the country and internationally. Once the team has registered and paid the registration fee, it will receive a coaches handbook that includes basic info on team building, rolls, funding raising hints, brainstorming techniques, etc. The team registration fee includes one team membership (up to 10 children) to the FLL International program; access to the FLL on-line web community and the FLL International forum; coach and team resource tools; and customer, technical, and engineering support from FIRST Headquarters. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a non-profit organization. The team registration fee contributes to the growth and sustainability of the FLL program and supports ongoing program developments. Teams can also purchase the kits they will need at the same time they register. Scholarships are available through ORTOP for teams that cannot otherwise afford to participate in the tournament.

Each year the robot challenge involves multiple missions arranged on a 4 foot by 8 foot mat where mission elements in a standard way. Each team will design a robot that will solve as many parts of the mission as possible. The details will be announced on September 3, 2009. National team registration runs from May through the end of September, or until all registration slots are filled. This has happened in late September. In early October, teams can register fo ra qualifying tournaments. In Oregon teams will register for Oregon Qualifying Tournaments (QT). Winners from the Qualifying Tournaments will advance to one of two Intel Oregon FLL 2009 Championship Tournaments. The Oregon local/state tournament registration fee will be $75.

Teams will have about two months to prepare their robot for a qualifying tournament. Qualifyingl Tournaments are held during the second and third weekends of December.

Challenge

Each year FLL teams embark on an adventurous Challenge based on current, real-world issues. Guided by a team coach and assisted by mentors, the kids:

• Research and solve a real-world problem based on the Challenge theme
• Present their research and solutions
• Build an autonomous robot using engineering concepts

Using the yearly Challenges, FLL:

• Entices kids to think like scientists and engineers
• Provides a fun, creative, hands-on learning experience
• Teaches kids to experiment and overcome obstacles
• Builds self-esteem and confidence
• Inspires kids to participate in science and technology

No matter what the child’s subject interest, FLL offers an opportunity for engagement. Whether it is by creativity, technology, or research, FLL dares kids to test, explore, expand, or completely change thoughts and approaches for different sciences each year.

Click here to learn more about this year's challenge.

FIRST LEGO League Events in Oregon & SW Washington

Our robotics events combine the high energy of a rock concert, the competitiveness and mascots of an NCAA final four competition,the intensity and technology of the NASCAR pits, the showmanship of a Broadway play, and our unique FIRST traditions
starting with a spirit of "Gracious Professionalism."
------Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST

FLL Qualifying Events in December

ORTOP plans to host Qualifying Events throughout Oregon and SW Washington in December 2010. 10 to 20 teams will participate at each Qualifying Event. The complete schedule of these events and registration will occur in early October. To register for an ORTOP Qualifying Event teams must first register with FIRST LEGO League (FLL). FLL registration opens in May 3, 2010. The officially registered teams' coach will be sent an invitation from ORTOP on October 4th to submit an application for a qualifying event. Oregon FLL Qualifying Event application deadline is October 18, 2010. Applications submitted late are not guarenteed a slot.

2010 FLL Qualifying Tournaments
Dates for the 2010 FLL Qualifying Tournaments will be December 4, 5, 11, & 12, 2010.

Tournament CODE	Date (either Dec 4, 5, 11 or 12)	Qualifying Tournament Director(s)	City	Site	other preliminary info	Approximate Team Registration Start Time	Approximate Tournament End Time
BND	TBD	Rick Samco	Bend	TBD	Open to the Public
PYN4	Saturday, December 4	Chris Steiner	Hillsboro	Poynter Middle School	Open to the Public
HF4	Saturday, December 4	Tom Francis	Hillsboro	Intel - Hawthorne Farms	TBD
HF5	Sunday, December 5	Tom Francis	Hillsboro	Intel - Hawthorne Farms	TBD
HF11	Saturday, December 11	Tom Francis	Hillsboro	Intel - Hawthorne Farms	TBD
HF12	Sunday, December 12	Tom Francis	Hillsboro	Intel - Hawthorne Farms	TBD
LGR4	Saturday, December 4	Richard Croft	LaGrande	Eastern Oregon University	Open to the Public
McM4	Saturday, December 4	Larry Wood	McMinnville	Evergreen Air & Space Museum	Open to the Public
RBG4	Saturday, December 4	Trish Safstrom	Roseburg	Fremont Middle School	Open to the Public
HR4	Saturday, December 4	Jessica Metta	Hood River	Hood River MS	Open to the Public
VNC4	Saturday, December 4	Morley Knoll & Sandy Kirkpatrick	Vancouver	Salmon Creek Elementary	Open to the public
CRV11	Saturday, December 11	John Lee	Corvallis	TBA	Open to the public
HH11	Saturday, December 11	Walt Mayberry	Hillsboro	Hillsboro High School	Open to the Public
CG11	Saturday, December 11	Paul Andrichuk	Portland	Catlin Gabel School	Open to the Public
MG11	Saturday, December 11	Mat Haug	Wilsonville	Mentor Graphics Commons	Open to the Public
HH12	Sunday, December 12	Walt Mayberry	Hillsboro	Hillsboro High School	Open to the Public
CG12	Sunday, December 12	Paul Andrichuk	Portland	Catlin Gabel School	Open to the Public
MG12	Sunday, December 12	Mat Haug	Wilsonville	Mentor Graphics Commons	Open to the Public

Intel Oregon FLL "Body Forward" Championship-
January 15 and 16, 2011

The Championship events are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Our thanks for our Sponsors and Community Partners
Directions to Liberty High School, Hillsboro

ORTOP will hold TWO Championship Events for the 2010 Season on January 15 and 16, 2011. To be invited to the championship a team must first participate in an ORTOP Qualifying Event and be ranked in the top percentile of all judging catagories.

Tournament CODE	Date	Tournament Director	City	Site	other preliminary info	Approximate Team Registration Start Time	Approximate Tournament End Time
SATCT	Saturday, January 15, 2011	ORTOP Planning Committee - FLL	Hillsboro	Liberty High School	OPEN TO THE PUBLIC	7:45 am	5:00pm
SUNCT	Sunday, January 16, 2011	ORTOP Planning Committee - FLL	Hillsboro	Liberty High School	OPEN TO THE PUBLIC	7:45 am	5:00pm

The Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League 2010 Championships will be held in January 2011 at Liberty High School, Hillsboro. Liberty High has been the site of the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League Championship for six years.