Grant Funds Two New Girl Scout Robotics Teams
Fri Oct 15 2010
Two new Girl Scouts teams will join the field at the 2010 West Virginia FIRST LEGO League robotics tournament Dec. 11 at Wheeling Jesuit University. The tournament is sponsored by the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium.
The Motorola Foundation has provided the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. and the local Black Diamond Council with a $4,500 grant to create two new teams. Troop 4609 from Moundsville and Troop 5977 from Sistersville will join the FIRST LEGO League thanks to the funding.
Dr. Meri Cummings of the Center for Educational Technologies, who directs the state tournament, is serving as a virtual mentor to the two teams. Assisting Cummings are Teresa Woerner of Morgantown, and three members of Cummings' own Girl Scouts Troop 4920 team, Deryn Martin, Caitlin Reasbeck, and Jasmine Shah of Wheeling.
The Moundsville team is led by Jody Goldsberry and assisted by Pam Mencer. Team members are Alex Blake, Amanda Gouldsberry, Linzay Gouldsberry, Kayla Holmes, Katie Mencer, Sammie Stewart, and Christina Wood.
The Sistersville troop is led by Sabrina Kyle and assisted by Heather Weekley. Team members are Tessa Boyd, Ellie Howell, Angel Kyle, Jasmine Kyle, Shyann Martinez, Caramia Southerly, Callie Taylor, and Brittany Weekley.
Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was created to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. FIRST LEGO League started in 1988 with a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Company. More than 48,000 children ages 9-14 participate in the program.
The theme of this year's tournament is Body Forward—Engineering Meets Medicine. The event is open to the public and will be held at Troy Theater in Swint Hall and at the Center for Educational Technologies. Cummings said 37 teams of 3-10 members each have entered this year's tournament, more than doubling the number of teams from past years.
