Eagle Valley LEGO Robotics team raising funds for LEGO championship

The Eagle Valley Middle School LEGO Robotics team is hosting a fundraiser to help send it to the North American Championship for First LEGO League.

The robotics team consists of 14 middle schoolers, split into two teams, who have been working all year to build a robot and create a research presentation to find a solution to the question: Find something that needs to be learned, and how to teach it.

One team came up with a solution for teens to deal with stress, while the other worked out an app that would save cyber bullying statements to the cloud. They will be presenting that, along with a robot at the championship.

Both teams from EVMS were invited to attend after winning first and second place at the Northern Nevada Championships at the University of Nevada-Reno in January. Fourteen kids will be competing in the championship at LEGOLAND in California from May 15-17. They will face teams from around the world to win the tournament.

“This allows them to compete on an international stage that they wouldn’t get the chance to do in Carson City,” Lisa Stocke-Koop, coach of the EVMS LEGO team said. “It helps teach them 21st century skills such as presentation, and they will get to meet new people from all over.”

They have held two other fundraisers to get the money to send the kids to California, but they are still short about $2,000 of the $8,000 they need. Stocke-Koop said they are within their goals and if they can raise more than planned they will be able to put the money toward buying a newer robot, that many other schools already have, to compete with.

Their last event is a breakfast fundraiser Saturday from 8-10 a.m., at the Carson City Applebee’s. Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 and are good for one breakfast consisting of three pancakes, two pieces of bacon, breakfast potatoes, and a coffee, orange juice or soda.

The kids also will have their robot and presentations at the restaurant for the community to see.

For more information or questions, contact Lisa Stocke-Koop at lstockekoop@carson.k12.nv.us.