Focus and intensity were high for the three student teams that participated in the Adventist Lego League (ALL) Odyssey Robotics Challenge Tournament hosted by Glendale Adventist Academy on March 13. Students and coaches from the Adventist Christian School (Team Gold), the San Gabriel Valley Adventist Academy (Odyssey) and Santa Barbara Christian Homesteaders, a Protestant home-school group (Sushibot), demonstrated their entries in six 2.5-minute trials.

Teams earned points as their robots performed practical on-water or underwater activities, including lining up a Lego pipeline.

In preparation, students studied about oceans and activities related to them, then constructed and programmed robotic models using kits supplied by Lego. Entries reflected student responses to the project’s challenge to “find solutions that will sustain the health, biodiversity and productivity of the world’s oceans.”

“This is the first time Adventist schools in Southern California participated and the third year that the Adventist Lego League has been in existence,” said Bob Dennis, SCC associate education superintendent and tournament coordinator.

ALL was developed by Mel Wade, Internet technology director for the Michigan Conference. Glendale Adventist and White Memorial Medical centers and Glendale Adventist Academy were the major ALL sponsors locally. ALL is a partner of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a multinational non-profit organization with the aim of making science, math, engineering and technology “as cool for kids as sports are today.” For details, visit www.adventistlegoleague.net.

The league was developed to accommodate Sabbath observance, with tournaments scheduled on weekdays, since public-school tournaments are scheduled on Saturday.

According to SCC Superintendent of Schools Richard Carey, who served as one of two tournament referees, all three teams received a number of awards for their levels of performance in four categories: project, technology, table performance and teamwork. The director’s trophy was awarded to the Adventist Christian School’s Team Gold.

Students and coaches alike had positive things to say about the tournament. Conar Dela Rosa, a Team Gold fifth-grader, said, “Robots do cool things, and I like working with friends and learning."

Students encountered surprises when competing, too. San Gabriel Academy’s Odyssey team noted, “What surprised us the most was that we didn’t get the dolphin to perform in the competition. We did accomplish it in the practice.”

Observers from four other SCC schools were involved. Principals, coaches and other faculty and students from Los Angeles Adventist Academy, Glendale Adventist Academy, West Covina Hills and Crescenta Valley Elementary schools helped or observed the proceedings, preparing for their schools’ participation in 2007.

All teams were awarded a number of certificates. “The judges worked with a very specific scoring system to arrive at best scores within categories, not just to have one top winner," said Dennis. "It is possible that all teams could earn first-place awards.”