Last Saturday I watched three young competitors from Hubbard County challenge their minds. During Minnesota's First Lego League regional competition held in Squaw Lake, they were asked to compute, program, engineer, problem solve, innovate, present, execute and work as a team.
I'm not so sure they saw it as such, because they were so busy having a good time. That is what's so incredible about the robotics program brought to our area through the efforts and training of Mark Haugen, 4-H director.
The beauty of the program is that kids think they're playing.
These boys and the ones who were unable to make it to the meet brought home a first place in the technical division of the competition as well as a second in performance. Due to malfunctions in the final hour, they were forced to brainstorm on the fly. It was better than any sporting event I've gone to lately.
I would like to thank Mr. Haugen for bringing such a brilliant program to our area and 3M Wonewok for sponsoring these youth.
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A giant holler also goes out to Lamb/Weston-RDO Frozen's Brian Flynn who met with the team to discuss energy conservation and alternative energy sources. You really helped these students to pull a class act together for the competition.
Liz Shaw, Park Rapids
Robotics parent
