First Lego League - a world competition in which almost a million children participate, is a competition from ROBOTIC with the aim of creating a new innovative project.
One of the contestants' tasks is for the robot they designed to reach as far as possible independently on a table full of lego obstacles in two minutes and thirty seconds.
In addition, students create a design job i software and they have to explain how it all works and what tools they used.
In the final part, they present to the expert judges the way in which they solved the given problem during the whole season, how they cooperated and everything that represents teamwork.
Team composition and challenges
The season starts in August, and preparations for the competition begin in mid-October. The teams then participate in the national championships where they qualify to participate in Florida.
Professor The first Kragujevac high school Katarina Veljković is a mentor to her team, which has been winning the title for years. She explains to "Vreme" what obstacles they encountered this year, which resulted in the fact that they may not even go to Florida.
Another mentor of this team is her colleague Ana Stanković.
"This year there was a problem because we were blocked, so we didn't even work properly, and the national competition was moved and held on May 11, while it is normally in February, which causes a problem in the quick collection of money," she says.
Namely, this year 15 teams competed, while normally there are 20 - some teams gave up due to work stoppages and blockades.
"The members of the team are students from the 7th grade to the 2nd year of high school, whereby every year we change the team, they are not always the same children. Every year is a different story and a completely different challenge, both for the students and for the teachers, so hard work is necessary," explains Veljković and adds that there are normally 10 in the team, but they accept a little more students in case someone is prevented from competing.
Photo: Katarina VeljkovićTeam members are students from the 7th grade to the 2nd year of high school
A race against time
"We have until May 30 to secure all the funds we need. The registration fee and accommodation must be paid by then, and we have an informally scheduled meeting at the American Embassy on June 1. If we have neither plane tickets nor paid accommodation, we basically cannot go to the Embassy for visas, because there is no point in going," says Veljković.
The students know that every year they raise funds to go to Florida, and they are aware that they have very little time now and that the question is whether there will be any money at all.
Last year, this team successfully raised funds, but they only had two months at their disposal.
"Last year, our team won first place in the engineering category. We would go this year so we can raise money, to defend our title," explains the professor.
The total cost of going to Florida is about 40.000 euros, and so far not even 10 percent of the required amount has been collected.
"We have approached everyone, and the city will give us some funds, but that is not enough. The problem is time. Large corporations cannot decide for a day - whether they will give money or not. They are willing to give, but the problem is that decision. Time is a problem," Veljković points out.
Victory without a prize
A fundraising campaign was launched through social networks, as in previous years, students and professors spread the story and appeal for help, which turned out to be a good solution.
However, the professor is not optimistic now.
"I would like to, but this is the first time I'm skeptical about it. For four years now, we've been collecting money directly for the children to go, and every year we've succeeded. But this year, because of that short time and everything that's happened and the real situation in our society, I'm a little skeptical," says Veljković.
"Students must understand that it is not possible to solve everything and that some things are above us and above them, and that they have shown that they are really good," she explains, stating that, fortunately, the same team will participate next year, so they will have the opportunity to win the title.
"I guess everything will be more normal, because really this season was a disaster, as far as preparation and everything is concerned. If our national had ended whenever it was, it wouldn't have been a problem to collect the money," concludes the professor.
The question arises why the state, which normally distributes money hand over fist for political purposes and various rallies and free burgers, does not come to the aid of Kragujevac high school students.
School section as the first step in a career
The section of Lego games has existed for 10 years as part of the First Kragujevac High School.
Based on the analysis, as many as 80 students passed through the section, which is why some of the children are now at the world's faculties and universities, dealing with science.
"The program is interesting and really attracts children to engage in technology, programming and science. This year we dealt with the oceans and they somehow managed to come up with their own solution for wave energy, they made innovations where wave energy can be used for research, and it is completely ecological," says Veljković, adding that this type of competition and the entire program is excellent for promoting science among children.
Photo: Katarina VeljkovićFirst Lego League - a world competition in which almost a million children participate
"Most of the participants in this competition, in choosing a career, turn to technical directions, to the application of technology. When they assemble cubes, they have to understand mechanisms that are more mechanical than having to do with electronics, and in this way they understand how things work," she says and points out that they must not be sad about the current situation.
"Whatever happens, if it happens, it happens, if not, we explained everything to them, we'll see. It's up to them to try to be the best with us next year, so they can move on," underlines Veljković. "Five years in a row, they won first place. I'm glad that the program is expanding to other cities, because that's the point of the whole story, to spread the competition nationally."
