FIRST Lego League adds 3 R.I. tournaments

By Emily Greenhalgh
PBN Web Editor
Twitter: @EGreenhalgh

PROVIDENCE – The FIRST Lego League Robotics Program has expanded in Rhode Island, adding three qualifying tournaments for the 2012-2013 competition year.

The FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – Lego League program celebrates science, technology, engineering and math as teams of 9 to 14-year-olds engage in research, problem solving, programming and robot design.

The new FIRST Lego League qualifying tournaments will feature 20 to 25 FLL teams from across Rhode Island. The top teams at each event will advance on to the state championship.

The total of four Rhode Island qualifying tournaments will take place:

• Dec. 1, AIR 4H FLL Qualifier at Kickemuit Middle School, Warren .

• Dec. 2, St. Mary Academy Bay View FLL Qualifier at St. Mary Academy Bay View, East Providence.

• Dec. 8, 2012, North Kingstown High School FLL Qualifier at North Kingstown High School, North Kingstown.

• Jan. 12, 2013, FIRST LEGO League Rhode Island State Championship, Roger Williams University, Bristol.

All FIRST Lego League tournaments are free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.