2007 - HIGHLIGHTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

HHHS Lego Snappers Take First Place

Submitted January 2007
Written by Coach Toni Henry

The Hualapi Hills Home Schoolers are very proud of their First Lego League (FLL) team the LEGO SNAPPERS. Their twelve weeks of hard work paid off this year at the Dec. 9, 2006 FLL "Nano Quest" State competition, where almost 70 teams competed, when they brought home a trophy for the Team Presentation for Research Quality.

The Team Presentation for Research Quality is the use and understanding of diverse resources to formulate an in-depth and through explanation of the team's point of view and solution to the Challenge project.

FLL is an international robotics program for kids ages 9 - 14. FIRST and the LEGO Company joined together to create this fantastic program where kids, guided by adult mentors and their own imaginations, solve real-world engineering challenges, develop important life skills, and learn to make positive contributions to society. FLL emphasizes teamwork and fun using math, science, and technology skills.

Each September, a new challenge is announced all over the world. Teams immediately begin working on solving the "real-world" problems that are presented. Teams use legos to build a working robot that is capable of completing the missions of the "Robot Game". They also work on and develop presentations for the "Research Assignment", which highlights problems or opportunities in the world today.

This years challenge was called "Nano Quest". Teams dove into the world of nanotechnology and how these very small particles effect our lives. The LEGO SNAPPER's project was based on a bike tire that wouldn't go flat, called the "Na No Flat Tire". The team used web research to find a way to make the time consuming task of changing flat tires go away. Using studies of several existing nanotechnologies, the team was able to convince the judges that this new usage of nanos would change their world.

On our team this year was Joshua and Matthew Cirre, Andrew, Jonathan , and Michelle Giralde, Ariel Henry, Joseph Mieding, and Arron & Tiberius Williams. The team was coached by Toni Henry. Congratulations to the LEGO SNAPPERS for all their hard work and dedication!!!

For the 2007 Lego Challenge, go to www.firstlegoleague.org

Front Row (L-R): Matthew Cirre, Tiberius Williams, and Michelle Giralde.
Middle Row: Jonathan Giralde, Joshua Cirre, Aaron Williams, Ariel Henry.
Back Row: Coach Toni Henry, Joseph Mieding, and Andrew Giralde.