Students to compete in First® LEGO® Robotics Championship Tournament in Grand Forks Twenty-four teams of 9 to 14 year olds will arrive in Grand Forks from across North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and northwest Minnesota Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Betty Engelstad Arena to show off their science, engineering and technology skills at the FIRST* LEGO® League (FLL) Robotics Championship competition. The opening ceremony is at 9 a.m., with the competition under way until 1 p.m. Awards will be presented at 2 p.m. The team winning the top award from this year’s competition will have the opportunity to compete in the International World Festival tournament to be held in Atlanta, Ga., in April. This year’s robotics and research challenge, “Climate Connections” calls for the competitors to explore why many experts believe the earth’s climate is changing and how these changes impact you and our planet. The FLL competition is judged in four areas: project presentation, robot performance, technical design and programming of the robot, and teamwork. The highest honor will go to the team that best exemplifies the spirit and values of the program. Also being demonstrated at this year’s tournament is the Hatton-Northwood FIRST® Robotics Championship robot. The team will be on hand to explain the competition and demonstrate the robot. The University of North Dakota and the School of Engineering and Mines host the event with the help of many UND student volunteers and the following corporate sponsors: Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Otter Tail Power Company, Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc., Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc., Bobcat Company, Ralph Engelstad Arena, Inc., Simonson Lumber and Hardware, Cargill, and HB Sound & Light. The event is free and open to the public. About FIRST FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, NH, FIRST is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit public charity. FIRST is supported by a strong network of sponsors and volunteers. FIRST provides the FIRST Robotics Competition for high-school students and the FIRST LEGO League for 9 to 14 year-olds. FIRST also offers the Junior FIRST LEGO League for 6 to 9 year-olds and the FIRST Tech Challenge, a mid-level robotics competition that offers high-school students a more affordable and accessible opportunity to participate in FIRST. For more information, visit usfirst.org. The LEGO Group, a privately-held, family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of high quality, creatively educational play materials for children. The company is committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities, and its employees are guided by the motto adopted in the 1930s by founder Ole Kirk Christiansen: "Only the best is good enough." For more information, visit www.LEGO.com. LEGO, MINDSTORMS and their respective logos are trademarks of The LEGO Group.