Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2012

All three teams that Jessie Clark Middle School sent to state brought home an award from Kentucky’s FIRST LEGO League robotics championship.

• Research Award (first place):  “Team Yoda” with Jason Burke, Cager Garrett, Brennan Johnson and Joe Muschong. 
• Mechanical Design Award (first place):  “Team Vader” with Alex Brinkhorst, Renner Clements, Mitchell Slavik and Jared Young. 
• Gracious Professionalism Award (runner-up):  “Team Leia” with Sophia Carlton, Alex Elias, Maya Elias, Kalie Estes and Erin Remley. 

The Jessie Clark teams were coached by Mark Evans and Sandy Wright. 

About 285 students on 41 teams competed Jan. 14 in the state tournament at Western Kentucky University’s Diddle Arena. A group from the Louisville Robotics Institute won the overall state championship, and second place went to a home-schooled 4-H Club from Lawrenceburg.

This year’s theme was “Food Factor,” which called on the 9- to 14-year-olds to explore ways in which food can become contaminated and propose real-world solutions. Each team built, tested and programmed an autonomous robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT to solve a series of food-safety missions as well as research, develop and share their innovative suggestions. 

For more information about robotics opportunities in Fayette County Public Schools, contact technology resource teacher Leanna Prater.