Foothills Lego Robotics Team WINS AZFLL State Championship over 61 teams from across Arizona

 Representatives of Local Legends and Team Jason

ARIZONA FIRST LEGO LEAGUE Tournament at Arizona State University on Saturday

Guest Blogger: Julie Farbarik, ECMS parent

Our 2 Foothills FLL teams did exceptionally well at yesterday’s FIRST Lego League tournament.

Local Legends WON the AZFLL State Championship over 61 teams from across Arizona.  In taking home the Champions Award, they were recognized as the team that embodies the FLL experience by fully embracing the program’s Core Values while achieving excellence and innovation in both the Robot Game and the project.  They will represent the state of Arizona at the LEGO World Festival in April 2015 in St Louis, MO.

Coaches: Ms. Charlotte Ackerman and Ms. Nancy Hsiao.  

The team has 3 ECMS students and 2 BASIS students.  ECMS students: Michael Gross, Jeremy Wang and Josh Tint.  BASIS students: Alex and Wesley Chiu.

Code Name: JASON, with ECMS 8th graders Sean Bergan, Andy Liaupsin, Alex Melde, Jason Peper and Jackson Tint, won the Robot Strategy and Innovation Award, which recognizes a team that uses solid engineering practices and a well-developed strategy to design and build an innovative, high performing robot.  

Coach Kerrie Bergan, ECMS parent, won the Vivian Chen Adult Coach/Mentor Award (AZFLL Coach of the Year) for her work with Code Name: JASON as well as mentoring other Foothills teams.  

The two teams, while in direct competition with each other through the past few months, supported each other throughout the season culminating in great behavior at the tournament, high fiving and fist bumping after each challenge.  At yesterday’s awards ceremony when one team won, the other would stand and cheer.  It was fun to see the FLL spirit of 'gracious professionalism’ in action in our Foothills boys.  We have much to cheer! 

Fun fact:  Ms. Kerrie Bergan has coached most of the students on Local Legends throughout the years; and Ms. Charlotte Ackerman has coached members of Code Name: JASON, so there is much mutual support of each other.