Robot exhibition in “Ridehuset” inspires children from the fifth grade at Strandskolen to participate in First LEGO League - and win

During the Aarhus festival ”Børn og Unge” from Aarhus Municipality hosted an event in Ridehuset, where, among other things,  a handful of computer science students introduced First LEGO League (FLL). The computer science students showed last year’s robot field and some robots, which were programmed in advance, but the children had to change a few minor issues, such as how far the robot had to operate, how much it had to be able to turn, etc.

This was the starting signal for the children in the fifth grade at Strandskolen. Thomas Kryger, teacher at Strandskolen had no immediate plan to have the children from the fifth grade participate in FLL, as it  appeared confusing and he was in doubt as to whether children at this age would be able to compete in a competition with children from forth up to ninth grades,  all competing on equal terms. But the event in Ridehuset aroused his interest, and when Ole Caprani, associate professor at Department of Computer Science, borrowed him a couple of robots to take home, they got started. They worked together with Jakob Holm, a computer science student and robot coach.

- Had it not been for the event in Ridehuset, we would never have had the courage to participate in FLL,  Thomas Kryger says.

There were 27 teams in the finals in Aarhus and as Strandskolen was only allowed to participate with one class, hence it was 5. A who represented the fifth grades at their school.  Thomas Kryger continues:

- At first we participated just to be part of it, but if we could beat the fifth grades from the other schools it would be a success. But we did not only beat all the fifth grades, we won against all sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth grades!

Now, 5.A from Strandskolen will represent Aarhus at the Scandinavian final at Industriens Hus on 29 November and I wonder if not the entire school will follow the final from home together with the proud parents of 5. A.  One of the parents is in fact our own Head of Department, Lars Birkedal…..