The 4,000 creatures at SEA LIFE™ are dreaming of a “green” Christmas. From December 14 – 31, families exploring the Aquarium will learn simple environmentally-friendly ways to celebrate the holidays.
Festive music will be played throughout and children can make their own “green” holiday wishes at the Wishing Wall. Guests can view special holiday octopus feedings every Tues. and Thurs at 10:15 a.m. SEA LIFE is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon. – Sun with extended holiday hours 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 26 – 31. Kids 3–12 $11.95; Seniors 60+ $15.95; Adults $18.95. (760) 918-LEGO / www.sealifeus.com.
Los Angeles Robotics Team Wins
FIRST® LEGO League
Southern California Championship
Teams from Bellflower, Chula Vista, Encinitas, Oceanside, Poway, Rialto, San Diego, Valencia and Yucaipa Also Take Home Awards
CARLSBAD, Calif. (Dec. 5, 2009) – Team “West Side” from Palms Middle School in Los Angeles took home the Championship trophy in the FIRST® LEGO League (FLL) Southern California Championship held at LEGOLAND® California today. The team, which also won the first place award for Robot Performance, advances to the FLL Championship to be held in Atlanta in April.
Team “West Side” was one of 52 teams of 9 to 14-year-olds to compete in this high-energy robotics competition. Teams from Bellflower, Chula Vista, Encinitas, Oceanside, Poway, Rialto, San Diego and Valencia were also honored.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO® League (FLL) is designed to teach children how to apply creative thinking and robotics to real-life situations. Teams participating in the FLL Southern California Championship came from Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties.
With missions exploring transportation solutions such as vehicle impact, passenger safety, and limiting traffic, teams programmed their robots to explore the challenges facing modern-day transportation. The competition was judged in four areas: project presentation; robot performance; technical design and programming of the robot; and teamwork.
“Bad Robot” from San Diego took home the Second Place Champions Award. Robot Performance Awards went to Los Pen Academy (second place) in Poway and to the “Park View LEGO Eagles” from Park View Middle School (third place) in Yucaipa. Robot Design Awards went to “Warren Walker G Bots” (first place) from San Diego; “Wazins for Change” (second) from San Diego; and “Astro Brick Blue”(third place) from Bellflower. Project Awards went to Robo LEGO San Diego (first place) from Poway; “Smart Cars” (second Place) from Park Village Elementary School in Poway; and “Dirac Attack” (third) from San Diego.
Other winners include LEGO Explosions from Capri Elementary in Encinitas for first place Teamwork; Kolb Middle School in Rialto for second place Teamwork; “Coyote-Bot” from Arroyo Vista Charter School in Chula Vista for third place Teamwork; “Cowbotics” from Chula Vista who won the Teamwork Award, the “Dahesa Superbots” from Valencia who won the Against All Odds Award; and “Dolphin Force” from the Coastal Academy in Oceanside who won the Rising Star Award.
FLL is a partnership between FIRST and The LEGO Company, which has been helping young people discover the fun in science and technology while building self-confidence, knowledge and life skills since 1998.
FIRST is a non-profit organization founded by world-renowned inventor, Dean Kamen, to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org
A second FLL tournament takes place Dec. 6 as 52 teams from all over California compete in the FIRST LEGO Cup.
