Wahkiakum 4H Robotics completes FIRST season in FLL

We had 14 students representing Wahkiakum, and over 20 adults all in Olympia last Saturday for the FIRST Lego League Robotics Semi-Final tournament featuring teams from Vancouver, Olympia, Tacoma and Renton. While we did not qualify to advance to the State tournament (only 7 of the 30 teams advanced), we ended our last match with a celebratory group hug. We had fun and learned a lot about robotics, "coopertition," "gracious professionalism," living the 4H pledge, and each other.

Students participating in FLL this season were Julianne McKay-Beach, Eric Wuestefeld, Ian Wuestefeld, Michael Menard, Mercedes Menard, Wyatt Bruntmyer, Dalton Bruntmyer, Iaian Haney, Arwynn Haney, Kaleo Silva, Cayden Mendez, Ben Bush, Cooper Prescott and Landon Neilson.

Our sponsors really supported us when we needed them. Our heartfelt thanks to Cathlamet Building Materials, Moore Auto NAPA, Lulu's Burger Shack, The Video Store, Backmans' Farm and Fish, Bank of the Pacific and Cathlamet Pharmacy.

While our FLL season is over, the Wahkiakum 4H Robotics Club continues all year. Join up through Wahkiakum 4-H.

Our line up of upcoming events includes club meetings every Monday after school in the WHS shop and computer lab, through early-June; Encouraging "Reduce-Reuse-Recycle" everyday and everywhere in our Wahkiakum county; Saturday March 26, 1-3 p.m. - Redmen Hall Wahkiakum Arts and Sciences exhibits - Robotics area shared by WHS Robotics, WMS Robotics, and 4H Robotics. Come check out the whirrr ... and the beep ... and the bump; Saturday May 7 - MATE Underwater Robotics Tournament (Federal Way); May date TBD - Hayes Dayes Robotics Demonstrations (Camas); August 18-20 - Wahkiakum County Fair - 4H Robotics Demonstrations and robotics hands-on activities; August 30 - begin FIRST Tech Challenge for high school students; August 30 - begin our second year of FIRST Lego League for upper elementary and middle school students.