Fount of Life’s First Lego League Team is headed up by Marcus Catchpole. Contact information below.
What is FLL?
FLL is an organization that puts on team based competitive events. Teams will build and program a Lego robot to complete tasks and get points. There are other aspects of the competition that focus on research, presenting, and core values. See more at their website: https://www.firstlegoleague.org/
What is the age range?
The official FLL age range is 9-14, but slightly younger or older kids may be unofficial or honorary team members. My six-year-old loved occasionally coming to practice last year.
What is the time commitment?
1-1.5 hours per week at first. Team members may decide to practice twice a week as the competition gets near.
When is the season?
We will start in August and keep inviting new members into September. Regional competitions have a range of dates from November to December. If the team is successful, the season could go into January or February.
When and where will we meet?
TBD; there are a few candidate locations, and we will arrange meetings around what works for interested kids and their parents.
How much does it cost?
Costs to participate this year may be as low as $300 for the team. If you are concerned about the cost, don’t be. I have many ways to defray costs or fundraise. This will not be a barrier to participation!
How many kids are on a team?
2-10; if we get more students, we may split into more than one team.
My coaching approach:
As an engineer and computer science instructor, I love computing and computers. They’re incredible; everyone should have one and know how to use it. There are many years for people to develop both love and knowledge of computing and engineering, so my focus is fun. Fun is the most important FIRST Core value on the team. I want to create an enjoyable team experience for the kids, even if they don’t fall in love with programming at their first exposure.
What I like about FLL:
As a homeschool parent, this gives a great opportunity for learning and socializing. It allows my child to develop and practice research and presentation skills.