News / Whirlpool
Ready, set, LEGO: Bristol schools join global robot competition
An international appliance manufacturer has announced it will provide full funding to 12 Bristol primary schools ahead of its global LEGO robot challenge.
Whirlpool, a US-based company with manufacturing site in Yates, near Bristol, will host their fourth annual IET FIRST LEGO League Challenge in March 2023.
The innovative global STEM competition sees over 600,000 young people from around the world participate to design and build competitive LEGO robots.
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This year’s theme is ‘Superpowered’, which will encourage teams to present a solution to improve how energy can be stored, used and transferred.
Teams will work through the winter months using their creativity and problem solving skills to develop a robot that will attempt ‘missions’ on a LEGO playing board on the tournament day in March 2023.
Teams will be judged on technical design, as well as their consideration of the core values of the challenge, which include discovery, teamwork and impact.
The competition will take place at Whirlpool’s factory in nearby Yate. Participating teams will be in with the chance to represent Bristol at the national finals later in the year.
Last year, Stanbridge Primary School in Downend won the Bristol tournament.
Discussing Whirlpool’s vision for the Bristol tournament, Ian Moverley, director of UK Communications at Whirlpool, comments: “We are delighted to be engaging with schools in the Bristol area to enable local children to participate in this unique competition.
Whirlpool will also be offering fully sponsored places to two additional schools this year.
Ian said: “We hope that, by providing all teams with the robots and everything they need to compete, we can inspire more young people to develop critical STEM and transferable skills, including creativity and perseverance.”
Main photo: Whirlpool
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