Dear Bloggers,

Yesterday our two Gordon East Public School teams competed in the First Lego League Regional Competition at Macquarie University. We were ‘rookies’ competing for the first time against many experienced teams with children aged from 9 to 16 years of age.  Our students performed at a very high level with courage, resilience, persistence and as team members exhibiting a high level of ‘gracious professionalism’.

Here are the highlights of the day:

• The girls won the ‘2014 Macquarie Regional FLL Tournament Creative Presentation Award’ and have progressed onto the next level – the National FLL Competition. Brilliant work and a huge congratulations ladies!!!

• Both the Boy and Girl teams had personal bests successfully completing their greatest number of Robotics missions to date.

• The students’  research presentations  were exceptional involving impressive use of technology with computer games designed using Scratch Software, videos, blog, posters, web site and interactive hands on basketball game.  These were all created by the team members who spoke eloquently and carried themselves with poise and confidence.

• Watching the teams work together in a mutually supportive way to achieve their goals. People who can effectively and happily work in teams have much easier, successful and happy lives.
• Seeing the Boys’ resilience and pulling together when the AV could not be set up for their first presentation.  When the going gets tough the tough get going…and our boys were the epitome of this.  They made the best of a difficult situation, acted with great dignity and never gave up. Well done champs.

• Watching the boys’ sensational presentation when the AV did work.
• Seeing the students perform so well under pressure.  The two and a half minutes the robot had to carry out the challenge with loud music  and people cheering was quite stressful.  All students had shaking hands but smiles on their faces and exemplified a high level of composure at all times. The children handled the robots not doing as they intended with good grace and sportsmanship.

• Seeing the students (especially the girls) embrace the event by dancing and going around to the other teams and engaging with them.

 

• Knowing the teams did their absolute best in all situations.
• Seeing the smiles on  the faces of happy learners/

Here is a look at some of the competition.

Well done to all involved and we wish the girls all the best when they compete at Nationals next month.

 

Best regards always

Mrs Garlick