Waynesboro students to compete in Lego robotics competition at JMU

A team of students from Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro will demonstrate how humans and animals can work together as they compete in the 2016 FIRST LEGO League regional robotics competition on Saturday, Nov. 5, at James Madison University.

The team will compete against 13 other teams from in and around the Shenandoah Valley from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the EnGeo Building (formerly Health and Human Services) and the Integrated Science and Technology Building on the JMU campus east of Interstate 81.

This year, teams compete in the “Animal Allies” challenge, where their robots will demonstrate ways animals and people can help each other. The teams have been challenged to identify a problem when people and animals interact; design a solution that makes the interaction better for animals, people or both; and share the problem and solution with others.

Winning teams Saturday will advance to the state competition December 3-4, which is held at JMU and Harrisonburg High School.

In addition to the team from Kate Collins, Saturday’s competition features teams from Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Madison, Ruckersville, Stanardsville, Stephens City and Winchester.

FIRST LEGO League (firstlegoleague.org) challenges kids in more than 80 countries to think like scientists and engineers. More than 28,000 teams are expected to participate this year.