Home » Imagine West Melbourne Attends FLL Kickoff Meeting

Imagine West Melbourne Attends FLL Kickoff Meeting

By  //  September 17, 2014

total of seven students on the team

Imagine West Melbourne-580
Laura Martin, a fourth grade teacher, spent her summer writing grants, with the goal of starting a LEGO League at Imagine West Melbourne. This hard work paid off when seven members, and their parents, attended the Florida FIRST LEGO League kickoff meeting at Merritt Island High School. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

BREVARD COUNTY • MERRIT ISLAND, FLORIDA – Fourth grade teacher, Laura Martin, spent her summer writing grants, with the goal of starting a LEGO League at Imagine West Melbourne and her hard work paid off when seven student members, and their parents, attended the Florida First Lego League kickoff meeting at Merritt Island High School.

first-lego-league-180Ms. Martin, IWM’s 2013-2014 Teacher of the Year, and coach of IWM’s FLL stated, “FLL’s focus on core values ties so wonderfully into the first part of our mission, developing character. The problem solving aspect supports the second part of our mission, enriching minds. I believe FLL is a perfect complement to the goals we have at Imagine West Melbourne.”

Florida FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is focused on Core Values. The term “gracious professionalism” is an ongoing theme in FLL. The FIRST website defines Gracious Professionalism as “…a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community”

Student K. Ramirez, Imagine West Melbourne FLL member.
Student K. Ramirez, Imagine West Melbourne FLL member.

After the kickoff meeting, students and parents expressed their excitement. “I want to program something now!”, said Hannah Tucker, a fifth grade student. Carmen Tucker, a parent, stated, “I’m ready to go buy some LEGOs!” Manuel Romero, another parent asked, “When do we start practicing!?”

Rockwell Collins helped to make this opportunity possible for IWM students by being providing a grant.

The FLL World Class Competition includes a Project and a Robot Game, all while following and upholding the Core Values. For the Project, students will focus on finding a better or more innovative way to help someone learn something.

Imagine West Melbourne partners with parents to provide a rigorous learning experience with a focus on academic growth in a safe environment that emphasizes the values of community, student voice, and high expectations to give students a love of learning that will stay with them through school, university and beyond.
Imagine West Melbourne enrolls students throughout the school year on a first-come, first-served basis. Imagine West Melbourne partners with parents to provide a rigorous learning experience with a focus on academic growth in a safe environment that emphasizes the values of community, student voice, and high expectations to give students a love of learning that will stay with them through school, university and beyond.

They will brainstorm things they want to learn about, narrow down their ideas to one thing and decide what specifically they want to learn about that thing (for example, learn to read violin sheet music better). They will then determine why this is important and to whom it is important.

They will share their idea with people, receive feedback and create a five minute presentation. In the Robot Game, students will build and program a robot to complete tasks on a predetermined game board.

Imagine West Melbourne enrolls students throughout the school year on a first-come, first-served basis.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FLL

All seven students of the Imagine West Melbourne FLL team with parents and teacher, Ms. Martin. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
Students of the Imagine West Melbourne FLL team with parents and teacher, Ms. Martin. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
Students of Imagine West Melbourne at the First Lego League at Merritt Island High School. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
Students of Imagine West Melbourne at the First Lego League at Merritt Island High School. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)