
More than just play
Not every 9-year-old knows how to design, build and program a robot. But the kids on Jeff Hendricks Robo-Titans team are becoming experts in the field. That's because they are part of a FIRST LEGO league team, where children learn to design and build robots using special LEGO kits. The program includes a 10- to 12-week period in which youngsters form teams, build robots that can complete individual tasks as part of an overall challenge, then compete at a local tournament. The robots are programmed using a flow chart rather than traditional programming language, and coaches often have the help of technical mentors to teach team members how to build and program the robot.