Great Bend Middle School sent four teams to Fort Hays State University’s 13th annual Western Kansas Lego Robotics competition on April 16. Great Bend was one of 25 western Kansas school districts competing. The school captured 1st place overall as a team and brought home the Lego traveling trophy.
The teams, accompanied by sponsor Tina Steinert, had the option to compete in five different events: Sumobot, Clear the Field, Slalom, Counting Colors, and Follow the Line.
The team of Malachi Wasson and Natasha Q-Reyes competed in Sumobot; which resembles a sumo match, and Clear the Field, which entailed removing three facedown plastic cups from a white mat. They won both competitions as well as 1st place as a team. Ellyse Ellis and Alayna Irwin placed 2nd in Clear the Field and 4th in Follow the Line.
Each competing robot had to be constructed solely from parts found in a standard Lego robot kit.