Local Youth Recognized As First Lego League Global Semi-Finalist

Press release from Caroll County Public Schools:

June 18, 2020

FIRST® LEGO® League announced the 20 semi-finalist teams advancing to the 10th Annual FIRST® LEGO® League Global Innovation Award presented by Disney. The Astro Jelly Dogs from Eldersburg were selected from more than 100 countries for their outstanding Innovation Project that demonstrated originality while having the potential to add significant value in the world. The Astro Jelly Dogs have invented The Grow Home, a solution to help food deserts in Baltimore for the CITY SHAPER℠ season, proposing creative new ways to positively address a problem in a public space or building in a defined community. The team will participate in virtual workshops, showcase their solution, and present to industry leaders and expert judges from June 24 – 27, 2020.

The innovation broadcast will culminate on June 27 at 10:00 a.m. on the FIRSTtv Twitch channel when one team is awarded the top prize of $20,000 to further their invention; two runners-up will each take home $5,000.

Empowering young people to be catalysts for change, the FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award recognizes and celebrates the next generation of innovators. Nominated teams research and identify a problem in their local community and design a unique, viable, and sustainable solution. Teams must consider possible barriers to implementation, document the evaluation of their invention, and validate their design with professionals working in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). From improvements to the water cycle, to innovative solutions to waste management, past Global Innovation Award finalists have brought their inventions to market, received patents, and incorporated as businesses.

FIRST LEGO League is an alliance between FIRST and LEGO Education, introducing STEM to children ages 4-16 (ages vary by country) through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experience through a guided, global robotics program, helping today's students and teachers build a better future together. FIRST LEGO League’s three divisions – Discover, Explore, Challenge – inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics.

Innovators and inventors play a critical role in growing our economy and improving our quality of life. The FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award is designed to encourage and assist teams with the further development of their original and important ideas for solving global issues. Students emerge as strong visionaries and divergent thinkers capable of applying innovative thinking to any problem.

This year’s Global Innovation Award is presented by Disney, part of Disney’s commitment to providing inspiration and opportunity to the next generation of innovators and helping today’s youth create the futures they imagine. Sponsors include Booz Allen Hamilton, Collins Aerospace, John Deere, LEGO Education, and Qualcomm Incorporated, and in collaboration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

This press release was produced by Caroll County Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author's own.