School of Engineering & Technology

The Sault area FIRST Robotics Competition team #1596, the Instigators, is one of 150 teams throughout Michigan participating in the 2012 challenge: Rebound Rumble. Other Upper Peninsula teams include Brimley, Gladstone, Escanaba, Dickinson-Iron Tech, Kingsford, Marquette, Ishpeming, Hancock, Houghton, Chassell, and Calumet.

Teams compete in alliances of 3 robots to score as many basketballs into their hoops (at varying heights) as they can during a 2 min 15 sec match and end up on balance boards at center field. Visit http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc to learn more about FIRST Robotics.

FRC Team 1596 – The Instigators recently found out they landed in 50th out of 172 teams in Michigan to quality for the State Championships. They will be part of a 62-team competition in Ypsilanti at Eastern Michigan University April 7-9. The The Instigators competed in both Traverse City and Waterford, picking up 3rd place honors at Waterford along with the Quality Award.

LSSU team mentors Kelsey Artley, Michael Gordon, Stephanie Spurr, and Cassie Holt, all of Sault Ste. Marie, along with professors Andrew Jones, mentor advisor, and Barbara Evans, robot mom, team treasurer, and mentor are traveling with the team in addition to mentors Zach Spurr, Jacob McClure and Doug Alexander. The team is still fundraising towards its budget for this year's season costs. Donations may be sent to Sault Area High School in c/o The FRC Robotics Team, 904 Marquette Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783.

The 2012 Senior SolutionsSM Challenge, teams will explore the topic of aging and how it may effect a person’s ability to maintain his or her lifestyle solving issues like getting around, keeping in touch, or staying fit. Teams will research obstacles and then suggest ways to improve the quality of life for the seniors affected. Throughout their experiences, teams operate under FLL’s signature set of Core Values.

• We are a team.
• We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors.
  
• We know our coaches and mentors don't have all the answers; we learn together.
  
• We honor the spirit of friendly competition.
• What we discover is more important than what we win.
• We share our experiences with others.
• We display Gracious Professionalism in everything we do.
• We have fun.

Coming August 2012

Can Junior FIRST LEGO League teams improve the quality of life for seniors by learning about the obstacles some people face as they get older? In the 2012, SUPER SENIORS(SM) Challenge, teams will learn about simple machines as they build a model made of LEGO elements with a motorized moving part and create a team Show-Me Poster to represent their findings.

LEGO Germ Busters, team #823 from Soo Township advanced from its championship win at LSSU's Movin' U.P. tournament to the state competition in Flint. Congratulations to the team for receiving the Spirit Award and to Mike "Goggles" Soule (top left in photo at left) for receiving the Young Adult Mentor award.

Check out the action at: http://www.firstinmichigan.or/fll and choose our tournament under FLL Events!

Congratulations to Soo Township team #121 the Healthy Heroes: Rece Boulette, Bonni Li and their assistant coaches Elaine Anderson and Tyler McGahey for winning the Learning & Effort Award!

2011 FLL & Jr FLL Season Results

In the 2011 Food Factor Challenge, teams explored the topic of food safety and examine the possible points of contamination our food encounters – from exposure to insects and creatures, to unsterile processing and transportation, to unsanitary preparation and storage – then find ways to prevent or combat these contaminates. In the Food Factor Challenge, teams built, tested, and programmed an autonomous robot using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT to solve a set of Food Safety missions as well as researched, developed, and shared their innovative food safety solutions. Throughout their experiences, teams operated under FLL’s signature set of Core Values.

• Team #12479 Farming Falcons from Lincoln Elementary School, Sault Ste. Marie coached by Keri Livingston and mentors James Claus of LSSU engineering, and Isaiah Garcia and Kody Swanson of FIRST Robotics Team #1596. Farming Falcons included Nick Dautremont, William Dautremont, Cass Gillhooley, Spencer Hazley, Nicholas Strader and Arriona Thompson. Congratulations on winning the Teamwork/Core Values trophy!
  
• Team #11660 LEGO Robo Tigers from Soo Township Elementary School, Sault Ste. Marie coached by Zach Spurr and mentors Lauryn LaFoile and Jacob McClure of LSSU engineering and Dakota McKerchie of FRC Team #1596. The Tigers were Helena Bourque, Max Garchow, Patric Hildebrand, Dwayne Hull, Ian Harrison, Dillon Kinnear, Anton Lapine, Reid Latham, Jaden Marken, and Dylan Vollick. Congratulations on winning the Robot Design & Strategy trophy!
• Team #822 Robo Chefs from Soo Township Elementary School, Sault Ste. Marie, coached by Christy Wilcox and mentors Ryan Malmborg of FRC Team #1596 and Austin Wilcox. The Chefs crew was Kyle Alexander, Logan Bergman, Madison Brown, Paige Cushman, McKenzie Dennis, Scott Kinnear, Alyssa Morley, Kaaleb Ranta, Zachary Wilcox, and Taylor Zoerner. Congratulations on wining the Project Research & Presentation trophy!
• Team #823 LEGO Germ Busters from Soo Township Elementary School, Sault Ste. Marie, coached by Lynn Swartzlander and mentors Ryan Detloff, Michael "Goggles" Soule and Tasker Merrifield of FRC Team #1596. The Germ Busters consisted of Luke Agnew, Sarah Beckett, Jack Gierke, Collin Henderson, Seth Horton, Allen Lapine, Kyler Lawson, Noah Misiak, Heather Trestrail, and Dylan Twardy. Congratulations on winning the Robot Performance trophy and Advancing to the State Competition in Flint!

For more information about FLL, visit the U.S. FIRST® LEGO® League site.

Congratulations to our state tournament advancers:
#8998 Microbes, and #8938 Terminators

FIRST World Festival will be April 27-30 in St. Louis, MO.

Thank you to all of our participants!

• #781 LEGO Life Savers - Soo Township, coached by Lynn Swartzlander; Project: Innovation & Creativity; Teammates: Brianna, Danielle, Elaine, Kyle and Tyler
• #1650 Robo Rockets - Whitefish Township, coached by Nate Beelen and Sherran Whitman; Core Values: Gracious Professionalism/Spirit; Teammates: Brook, Devin, Eli, Hannah, Joe, Joseph, Liam, Rachel and Zach
• #3926 Mancenola MetalMen - Mancelona Public Schools, coached by Elizabeth Van Pate; Project: Presentation (2nd year!); Teammates: Tom, Gabe, Harmon, Harris, Jacob and Zach.
• #8546 LEGO Rock Stars - Soo Township, coached by Christy Wilcox; Robot: Design & Strategy; Teammates: Collin, Dillon, Jaden, Nathan and Seth
• #8938 Terminators - Sault Area Middle School, coached by Greg Rambo; Robot: Performance / Advance to State Tournament; Teammates: Alexander, Brandon, Chase, Christian, Hunter and Isaiah
• #8941 Killer Koalas - Sault Area Middle School, coached by Greg Rambo; Teammates: Ethan, Hunter, Jacob, Jason, Jesse, Makaelynn, Michael and Raelene
• #8998 Microbes - TCAPS Montessori, coached by Roberta Wagner and Reese Gallagher; Core Values: Teamwork & Tournament Champion / Advance to State Tournament; Teammates: Collin, Grayson, Liam, Noah, Olan, Resee, Skylar and Zander

Congratulations to our 2009 SmartMove FIRST LEGO League tournament teams | November 2009

We had three terrific teams turn out for our inaugural event. Thank you to all of our volunteers and participants! Following are this year's teams and standings:

• Technical Design Challenge winner:
  Soo Township Tigers #10018
• Project Presentation Challenge winner:
  Mancelona MetalMen #9643
• Teamwork Challenge winner:
  Soo Township Tigers #10018
• Robot Performance winner:
  Whitefish Township Robo Rockets #130