For the first time in a decade a local LEGO league team has advanced to the World Tournament and will compete in St. Louis from April 26-29.
Teams were charged with finding ways to improve interactions between people and animals in a series of events that initially involved building robots with LEGOs.
The "Scientific Touch" team represented by 7th and 8th graders from the Lakota, Mason, and Sycamore Districts as well as Bethany School, built a prototype to show five different ways buildings can be re-engineered to avoid bird collisions while creating energy-efficient savings for building owners.
The Team
- Ryan Cheng-Lakota
- Samiksha Murkherjee-Lakota
- Sudiksha Murkherjee-Lakota
- Esha Reddy-Mason
- Jude Saddler-Lakota
- Arushi Sharma-Sycamore
- Sam Vessel-Bethany School
The Design
Eighth grader Jude Saddler explains, "We solved this by innovating a building in New York (UNICEF) to make it wildlife-friendly with designs to allow the birds to see the windows and a green roof to provide a habitat for the birds and also to make it sustainable."
Arushi Sharma, an eighth grader from Sycamore, was responsible for cost estimates. She projects the solar panels by themselves would cost $13 million dollars but due to rebates would cost $7 million which could be recouped in ten years. The entire building shell would cost $18 million which owners could get back in twenty years.
Sam Vessel of Bethany School called the project "Innovative, Scientific and Fun," because of the mentoring, research, learning and bonding with teammates.
"Scientific Team" is one of two teams representing Ohio in the World Tournament where more than 40 countries are represented.
