Parker’s new robotics team advances to state championship

WAIMEA — Parker School’s 2-year-old middle school robotics team advanced to the Hawaii State Championship after placing third in last Saturday’s FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition held at Kealakehe High School.

Parker School’s two teams, each with five students in grades 6-8, worked together to research and develop a solution to a real-world problem provided by FIRST LEGO League. This year’s challenge is called “Animal Allies” and is about animal vs. human interactions. Students were also challenged to design, build and program a robot using Lego Mindstroms, to compete on a table-top playing field.

This is the second year Parker School’s robotics team participated in Hawaii’s FIRST LEGO League competition, with just three students competing both years. Parker’s “Bulls-Robotics” team had a strong showing from first-time competitors Jayden Bosque, Zoe Cetre, Charlie Ostner, Anneli Suurkask and Kohki Miyasaki.

Parker’s “Bulls-Tech” team advanced to the Hawaii FIRST LEGO League State Championships that will be held on Oahu Dec. 3 with a third place finish. Bulls-Tech team members who will compete are Kai Griley, Andrew Groves, Del Jordan, Kekoa Madison and Bobby Weiser.

“Our students worked hard together to perform well,” said Caroline Landry, Parker’s robotics head coach. “We are a young team and advancing to State was a pleasant surprise. I am proud of all 10 students.”

FIRST LEGO League is a program by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1989 in New Hampshire to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.