Our 8th Quad Cities FIRST LEGO League Kickoff is complete. A big thanks to our presenters, exhibitors, alumni panel, volunteers, special guests, the Putnam, and QCESC & Kickoff Planning Team!
Left to right: Dr. Syed Mubeen (keynote), Rebecca Whitaker (FTC Iow), Susan McNicholl (FLL Iowa), Yamille X. Pérez (FLL Iowa), Pat Barnes (QCESC & John Deere), Kim Wierman (FLL Director), Camille Sloan Schroeder (Guest of honor), Sara Lubic (FLL Illinois), Susan Eckert (FIRST Senior Mentor – Iowa)
Pictures from the event are available with this link. Thanks to our event photographer Sankari Kandasamy!
Here are links to resources and presentations from the event:
- Keynote presentation by Dr. Syed Mubeen on “Energy Infrastructure: Past, Present, and Future”
- Programming Presentation by Aaron Maurer
- Innovation Project Presentation by FIRST LEGO League Challenge Team #7885, The Swag Hats
- Link to on-line event program with links to key FIRST LEGO League Challenge resources
The Kickoff provided a fun, interactive way to meet other teams, learn together with energy experts and share key FIRST LEGO League information.
Next up for local FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams will be qualifiers:
Iowa Teams:
- Saturday, December 10, 2022 Quad Cities – Davenport FIRST LEGO League Challenge qualifier at the Putnam Museum and Science Center.
- Saturday, January 28, 2023 State of Iowa FIRST LEGO League Challenge Championship in Ames at Iowa State University
Illinois Teams:
- Saturday, December 3, 2022 Quad Cities – East Moline FIRST LEGO League Challenge qualifier at the Rust Belt
- Saturday, January 14, 2023 Illinois Einstein FIRST LEGO League Challenge State Championship at Elgin College
- Saturday, January 28, 2023 Illinois Tesla FIRST LEGO League Challenge State Championship at University of Illinois at Champaign
It was great to be back in person with teams from Iowa & Illinois with key info below.
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Innovation Project: Insights on the research project and global innovation award including related items for judge interview
Lead: Members of FIRST LEGO League Challenge Team #7885 – SwagHats from Des Moines area. They were 1 of 20 teams finalist who competed at the Global Innovation Awards in St. Louis in Jun22.
Strategy, Locomotion, Navigation: Insights on strategy, locomotion and navigation including on robot design items with judge interviews.
Lead: Members of FIRST Robotics Competition Team #3928, Team Neutrino from Ames with 33% of team coming from FIRST LEGO League teams with 50% of team leaders female. In 2022, they received the Engineering Inspiration award at the FIRST World Championship in Houston. The children’s TV STEAM show series they produced was recently released here
Core Values: Insights on core values including for relate items for judge interviews.
Lead: Members of the FIRST Tech Challenge Team #8813, The Winter Soldiers from Bettendorf, Iowa Five consecutive year winner of State of Iowa FTC Championship with Inspire Award and 2022 Finalist for Connect Award at FIRST World Championship Houston. 
EV3 Programming: Hands-on overview of LEGO Mindstorms SPIKE Prime & EV3 programming
Lead: Aaron Maurer, FIRST Certified Trainer, LEGO Master Educator, Microsoft Innovative Expert, Minecraft Global Mentor
FIRST Progression of Program On Display:
FIRST LEGO League Discover demo:
Lead: Camanche School District with Sheryl Kennedy long time FIRST LEGO League coach and 2021 Iowa Southeast Iowa STEM Teacher of the Year and 2017 QCESC STEM of the Year.
FIRST LEGO League Explore demo:
Lead: Members of FIRST Tech Challenge Team #12863 Flourish & Bots from Bettendorf. Previous FIRST LEGO League participates 
FIRST Tech Challenge demo:
Lead: Members of the FIRST Tech Challenge Team #8813, The Winter Soldiers from Bettendorf, Iowa Five consecutive year winner of State of Iowa FTC Championship with Inspire Award and 2022 Finalist for Connect Award at FIRST World Championship Houston.
FIRST Robotics Competition demo:
Lead: Members of FIRST Robotics Competition Team #648 – QC ELITE – Flaming Squirrels from Bettendorf, Iowa. One of the oldest FIRST teams in the area started in 2001.
List of Registered Innovation Project Challenge Experts with Displays (as of 19Sep22 7:06 PM):
- MidAmerican Energy Company
- Constellation Energy Corporation (Quad City Nuclear Power Station)
- Iowa State University Solar Car
- Stanley Consultants with Fire Island Robotics FRC 6420
- Tesla Model 3 all electric car.
- Southeast Iowa STEM
Registered Teams (as of 22Sep22 – 10:00 PM) 
2022 Quad Cities FLL Kickoff Planning Team:
- Pat Barnes
- Susan Eckert
- Nama Ganesh
- Leslie Klipsch
- Steve Mielenhausen
- Rachael Mullins
- Sanchia Horst Sommer
- Beth Ullmark
Key FLL Challenge Resources
- 2022/2023 SUPERPOWERED Season Materials
- What’s FIRST LEGO League Video
- FIRST LEGO League – Be a Leader (Coach or Mentor) Video (length – 1:27)
(note includes members of Quad Cities Flourish and Bots FLL Team) - State of Iowa FIRST LEGO League Information
- If further questions, e-mail to: [email protected]
- State of Illinois FIRST LEGO League Information
- If further questions, e-mail to: [email protected]
- 2Aug22 FIRST Press Release on FIRST LEGO League 2022 – 2023 Season
- Photos from: