IO14: A Space-tacular Time of Year.

Greetings FIRST LEGO League Oregon,

In today's FIRST LEGO League Oregon Update we will cover these items:

1. This Calls for a Celebration
2. Share Your Photos and Stories
3. ACE Mailing List
4. State Championship Lottery
5. Volunteering at the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League State Championship
6. What's That in the Sky?

Use this link to read this update as a blog post

  If you are new to this email or blog this is the place where you will find all of the OREGON specific FIRST LEGO League information. If you are in the FIRST Dashboard as a team coach of a registered team for INTO ORBIT you will be added to this list every week for the rest of the competition season. Every update this season begins with IO (Into Orbit) and a number, that number lets you know which update it is, if you miss an update you can find it on our blog.

1) This Calls for a Celebration

In the past two weekends, 376 Oregon FIRST LEGO League teams attended one of 23 events across the state! Over a third of these teams have advanced to the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournaments at Liberty High School. ALL of these teams completed the FIRST LEGO League INTO ORBIT challenge! That's 376 new innovative solutions to the challenges of humans living in space for a year or longer! That's 376 different creative robots that could solve at least one mission on the robot game challenge field at least some of the time. Most importantly that's 376 teams of kids, or approximately 2600 students between in 4th through 8th grade, who have learned to work together as a team and use the FIRST Core Values in and out of FIRST LEGO League!

I hope your team met their personal goal at their qualifying tournament and that all teams have cause to celebrate!

2) Share Your Photos and Stories

As in seasons past, ORTOP is collecting photos from all of the Qualifying Tournaments. You may see your photo used in the Championship Tournament program! Please share any wonderful photos you have on our Yogile page. Or upload them via email by sending your pictures as attachments to: FLL2018-19@yogile.com (this is an automated email, no one will be answering questions sent here).

Do you have a story to share about your tournament? Join in on the fun on our Facebook page or send your story to Loridee-Wetzel@ortop.org!  I love hearing all about your team's experiences throughout the season and at the events.

3) ACE Mailing List

If your team received an ACE invitation at your Qualifying Tournament (that certificate they handed out at the end). Please make sure that you have carefully read the back of that certificate. Also, make sure you that the lead coach for your team received an email from intoorbitchamps@ortop.org tonight. This is how TOMORROW's sign up link will be sent.

4) State Championship Lottery

If your team was not selected for an ACE award, nor notified that they received one thanks to the spreadsheet issue was are affectionately calling "the glitch" you may still attempt to attend the state championship through the Oregon FIRST LEGO League Lottery. Complete the form before December 20 to have a random* chance at being selected.

*randomization will be performed by random.org

5) Volunteering at the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League State Championship

Want a guaranteed front row seat to the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League State Championship? We need you to join our stellar volunteer team! We are looking for both teens and adults to fill the 200 volunteer roles each day that make our state championship the special and memorable event it is.

Sign up using the www.firstinspires.org website!

Saturday, January 19 at Liberty High School - Setup help needed Friday Night
Sunday, January 20 at Liberty High School - Tear Down help needed Sunday Afternoon (during and after the event)

I hope we'll see you there!

6) What's That in the Sky?

Intrepid sky viewers are you noticing a strange green glow in the night sky? That's because Comet 46P/Wirtanen was getting a close-up view of all the FIRST LEGO League action happening around this world this month!  Don't believe me? Hope for a dark clear night, or check out the great images online, like this one!

Wirtanen should be visible for most of the month of December.



Have a tremendous last week before schools are out for holidays. If your school is already out, enjoy the winter fun! I'll be back with lots of robot and LEGO information throughout the spring semester (or winter and spring if you are on trimesters). There are a lot of reasons for your team to keep meeting, keep practicing, and keep working on their Core Values!

Best Wishes,
Loridee