Published Friday, January 27, 2012

Young Moreland robotics team heads to state competition

By Rebecca Leftwich

The Newnan Times-Herald

In just its first year of competition, the Moreland Elementary School-based GYSTC Explorers robotics team will head to Georgia Tech Saturday to compete in the state First Lego League tournament.

"Food Factor Challenge" involves a team-built, programmed and operated Lego Mindstorm robot that completes as many set tasks as possible within a two-and-a-half-minute time frame. Each team is required to participate in a question-and-answer session with judges and completes a project in which members propose solutions to food safety issues.

Moreland's team qualified for the state event with a strong showing at a recent Warner Robins regional qualifier.

"We all are excited to be going to state in our rookie year," Coach Craig Exner said. "We just want to do our best. The experience we picked up this year will help our team go even further next year."

The Explorers took on the problem of lead and other contaminants in imported honey, drawing on Exner's experience as a beekeeper. Exner is a science teacher at Moreland and a Boy Scout leader, so his group is together in school and in other activities outside of robotics.

Teamwork is crucial to the competition, according to First Lego League, whose website explains the project component as a way to help teams "learn more about the science behind the Challenge theme and better understand the work of professionals in that field."

Of 48 teams qualifying to compete in the state tournament, the top two will continue to the national championship in St. Louis, MO, in April.