Superstorm
for Heathrow Airport.
Since students are encouraged
to interface with the community and
have mentors from the community,
they learned through a network of their
contacts, about Mark Gauthier, a man
who played a key role in establishing
relief efforts following the eruption of
Mountain Penatubo in 1991. Located
in the Philippines, the Mt Penatubo
eruption, cost over 800 lives and
left an estimated 100,000 homeless.
The students were able to contact the
gentleman and conduct an interview
to learn important rescue techniques
and he helped them identify problems
or delays they might not anticipate
during such a rescue. Besides some
Online interviews, they talked with a
Delta commercial airline pilot, Smith
Mountain Lake resident Larry Sultze,
to learn about emergency procedures
during flights and he discussed with
them procedures outlined in flight
manuals.
Once the students decide on a
project, they order the Lego kit and
create pieces that tie into the theme.
They also learn to program a computer
“brick” (a Lego control panel) and
build a robot so it can accomplish the
mission related to the theme. This year
they learned to program their robot to
use a light sensor and touch sensor.
Teams are evaluated in four different
categories: teamwork; robot design;
project; and how the robot functions.
To be a member of the Lego
League you must be able to work with
others and be willing to put in a lot
of after-class-hours doing research,
planning, innovating and learning
some computer programing. The
students love the challenge. Plus, by
winning at the regional level, it meant
a trip to James Madison University
where they competed with hundreds of
students from all across Virginia and
the Nation’s capital. Although they did
not win at the State level, winning the
regional competition, as they did, is a
huge success.
During the two-day event the
students have an opportunity to go to
seminars and this year a snow storm
gave them all a chance to spend one
extra night. No one complained.
Jonathan Sicher, who is Sharon’s
son, and a member of the group,
estimates he and fellow team members
spent 20 hours of their “free” time just
in programing the computer brick. He
worked on it during study periods and
after school, he says.
“To successfully work in a
group,” Sharon said, “The students
must learn to compromise, work under
pressure, work as a team and they must
demonstrate perseverance.”
Members of this year’s team
were:
Brian Miller; Dylan McCloy;
Jonathan Sicher; Shalei Hiltz; Chris
Gauthier; Micailah Gray; and Kaylyn
Purdue.
Lego Continued...
Discover Smith Mountain Lake
Summer 2014
8
