Four Edina robotics teams advance to state FIRST® robotics tournaments

Four of Edina’s FIRST® robotics teams are headed for state competitions next month. FIRST® is a youth-focused nonprofit that operates worldwide to advance STEM education and seeks to “inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.” Within two of their programs, EPS has robotics teams advancing to state tournaments.

In the Minnesota FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL), Edina middle schools have three teams headed to the State Championship after their successes at the Regional and Sectional tournaments: The District Office, The Furry Wookiees, and The Wonderful Weeping Willows. The state tournament will take place on Saturday, February 22.

The District Office won the Robot Performance award at the Regional tournament in December. The Furry Wookiees won the Robot Design award at the Regional tournament in December and also won the Programming award and Head-to-Head 2nd place award at the Sectional tournament in January. The Wonderful Weeping Willows won the Robot Performance and Core Values awards at the Regional tournament in November and also won the Core Values award at the Sectional tournament in January.

Through the FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC), robotics team 3763, Piece of Cake, won FTC state qualifying tournaments on Nov. 24 and Dec. 15. Piece of Cake will be advancing for the third year in a row to the Minnesota State Tournament, February 7 and 8. 

The team also won the Control Award at both tournaments. The award celebrates an innovative control system or application of control components – electrical, mechanical, or software – to provide unique machine functions.