Students gear up for robot competition; need volunteers

It's that time of year again -- time for the FIRST Lego League competition hosted by the Department of Polytechnic Studies at Southeast Missouri State University. It's the competition in which fourth-through-eighth-grade students demonstrate their affinity for science in creative ways. That means it's also an opportunity to volunteer to assist at this Nov. 21 event in the University Center.

FIRST, an acronym for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is an annual robotics competition in which youngsters showcase their ideas and problem-solving skills. Teams build Lego-based robots to solve challenges in accordance with the year's theme.

This year, about 20 teams each consisting of five to 10 students will tackle a Trash Trek Challenge. They labored for three months to create robots designed to help with various aspects of trash -- from collection to sorting, smart production to re-use. They will pitch their inventions to a group of judges. One year, students designed robots to address problems that arise from natural disasters. Every year, there is something different to challenge our young people's minds and hands.

The event is multifaceted because it tasks students with the necessary skills of assembling a team, assessing a goal, collaborating on ideas, assigning roles, managing time and presenting results, among other things. It gives youngsters a taste of what it is to function in the "real world" -- with all its accompanying frustrations and successes. And it does so in a way that engages their hands, as well as their minds. Every good teacher will tell you that hands-on activities captivate students in a way that lectures simply do not. So the robots are not just cool and fun; they're educational.

But for these students to demonstrate what they have worked so hard to accomplish, they need help. So Southeast's Polytechnic Studies Department is requesting volunteers on that day, ages 16 and older, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and a T-shirt will be provided to volunteers as an expression of gratitude. If you have a day to spare for a good cause, please consider helping out some junior robotics scientists.

To sign up to volunteer, visit usfirst.org and click the "volunteer" tab.