The group, comprised of fourth and fifth graders, has spent months designing, creating and tinkering with the Lego robot on the table, which now sits in front of Brenden.

It’s the fifth annual Spartan FIRST LEGO League Challenge, a competition for children ages 9 to 14. Seventeen student teams not only have built and programed functional robots, but have researched solutions to medical conditions, such as osteoporosis and diabetes, and developed teamwork skills in anticipation for the regional finals held Saturday at IM Sports-Circle.

It’s one of many MSU-sponsored programs focused on K-12 outreach.

“Three,” an announcer calls above the cheers of parents and teammates gathered to watch. “Two! One! Go!”

The pre-programed robot has two minutes and 30 seconds to complete a series of tasks, including placing a bone in a cast, kicking a ball into a goal and opening a door.

Throughout the performance, Brenden and teammate Alfaro Rapael interchange parts of the robot with a practiced precision. Despite several flaws in the round, Brenden wheels his robot out of the performance arena with confidence.

“I did everything I had to do,” he said. “And Alfaro did everything he had to do.”

The Brickheads’ interest in robotics is an encouraging sign for Drew Kim, assistant to the dean for recruitment and K-12 outreach in MSU’s College of Engineering.
Engaging kids’ interest in math and science was part of the reason he began the tournament in the Lansing area.

“We want to provide a pathway to develop good engineers and scientists in the future,” Kim said.

Building blocks

As the nation shifts from an industrial to a technology-based economy, a college degree is more important than ever. Yet Michigan ranks 34th in the country for the number of residents with a college degree. For Barbara Markle, assistant dean for K-12 Outreach in the College of Education, that’s where MSU comes in. Markle said K-12 education is the foundation for obtaining a college degree and helping students thrive in a changing economy.

“Part of our mission is service or engagement,” Markle said. “We have an outstanding college of education. (We) take the research and knowledge that is in the college and help (put) that into practice through working with neighborhood schools.”

The Brickheads are just one example of K-12 outreach. In the Lego program alone, MSU sponsors and mentors 14 other teams in the area, sending students in MSU’s engineering program to assist the teams with their robots and research.

“Everything we do is about mentoring and coaching,” Kim said. “The best way to really influence these middle school and elementary school students is to have them interact with our engineering students.”

When he first brought the league to the area, Kim was worried about the lack of interest middle and high school students had in math.

“Students are not interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” Kim said. “When I looked at the state of Michigan, there was a big hole.”

The results of outreach programs, such as the Lego League, are kids such as Steele, whose interests have been fostered and developed through the programs.

Angela Steele remembers her son drawing elaborate designs on paper, then bringing the sketches to life through the blocks.

“All of these kids are so smart,” Angela Steele said. “You hear some of them talk, and it’s like, ‘Wow, I don’t remember knowing that when I was their age.’”

Robotics club is what Brenden Steele gets out of bed for three days a week. He’ll stay an extra hour at the end of practice just to continue working on the project.

“I’ve wanted to be an engineer my whole life,” Brenden Steele said. “Now I get to run the robot.”

More than smarts

At Woodcreek Magnet School, Brickheads’ coach Arika Ford has noticed a change in students, and it has everything to do with the robotics team.
“(Students) really want to be involved so desperately that they work harder in their classes,” Ford said. “They get better grades, and their behavior improves to be part of the team.”

Brenden’s team member, fifth grader Sasha Butler, said since joining the team, she’s been making more of an effort to avoid confrontations and has begun to become a role model for her friends.

“They think it’s really cool because I’ve been staying out of trouble,” Sasha said. “They’ll say, ‘You didn’t fight that person,’ or ‘You walked away.’ It’s hard, … but you have to think before you act.”

At the competition, “gracious professionalism” is not only encouraged to win — it’s required. During a core values round, the Brickheads had four minutes to assemble a spaceship from Lego pieces. Sasha, the chosen leader for the round, began by taking questions. From there, the group split off into separate sections. As the spaceship came together and it was announced the team only had a minute left, teammates gave each other words of encouragement: “good job,” and “you can do it!”

The words not only were repeated to teammates, but to opposing teams as well. During the award ceremony, the Brickheads watched their chance for being one of the five teams to advance to state finals grow slim as the first four teams were called. But for each team, members cheered and offered high-fives — a gesture returned when the Brickheads clinched the last spot.

Ford was excited to see the team’s hard work pay off.

“It’s very empowering for the students to know that they have worked so hard in the field of science and engineering and see that reward,” Ford said. “The things that they’ve learned, they’ll be able to take with them their whole life.”