FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a global program created to get kids excited about science and technology. Geared for ages 9-14 (up to 16 outside of the U.S. and Canada), FLL utilizes theme-based Challenges to engage kids in research, problem solving, and engineering. The cornerstones of the program are its Core Values, which emphasize contributions of others, friendly sportsmanship, learning, and community involvement.

Each annual Challenge has two parts, the Project and the Robot Game. Working in teams of up to 10 kids and guided by at least one adult coach, team members have about 10 weeks to:

• Build an autonomous robot that will, in 2 minutes and 30 seconds, complete pre-designed missions
  
• Analyze, research, and invent a solution for a given assignment
• Create a clever presentation about their solution to perform in front of a panel of judges

The culmination of all that hard work for many teams is the participation in an FLL event. FLL events are much like sporting events! Referees monitor and score the robot game. Judges review team presentations. Teams earn awards and trophies. It’s a pumped-up environment with music and excitement, and there is a ton of cheering.