In a remarkable display of innovation and teamwork, the Wolf Pack Bots, also known as Los Lobos Robóticos, secured two awards at the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Northern 鶹ӳ Qualifier on Nov. 16, 2024. The team's outstanding performance earned them both the Peer Award and the Engineering Excellence Award, propelling them to the Northern 鶹ӳ Regional FLL Championship scheduled for Dec. 14, 2024, in Sparks, Nev.
Wolf Pack Bots secured two awards at the FIRST LEGO League Northern 鶹ӳ Qualifier.This diverse team of young innovators comprises ten students from across Washoe County schools, with an equal representation of five girls and five boys from grades 4 through 8. Under the guidance of Rachel Salas, Ph.D., associate professor of Literacy Studies in the College of Education & Human Development, and coach Nanami Duncan, a distinguished FIRST Dean's List Award winner and 鶹ӳ 2024 graduate, the team has flourished. They are further supported by an exceptional group of University undergraduate mentors, Georgia Petroff, Bella Rose, Chase Webb and Lanielle Pavlik, specializing in engineering, education, biology and computational linguistics. These undergraduates are more than mentors; they are role models for the young team members.
Some of the students are part of our E.L. Cord Foundation Center for Learning and Literacy program, led by Salas, which uses a multimodal structure to incorporate robotics with literacy to facilitate academic success. Salas began the Center's FIRST® LEGO® League robotics program in 2017 to help children gain confidence in themselves and their abilities. Salas was also honored with the coach/mentor award at FLL 鶹ӳ State Championship in 2021.
Tackling this year's "Submerged" challenge, the Wolf Pack Bots embarked on an ambitious project to explore the ocean's deepest trenches. Their journey led them to collaborate with international experts, including retired Monmouth University Marine Biology Program Director, Assistant Dean John Tiedemann, and marine biologist Stacie Fox. Through persistent research into deep-sea exploration technologies, the team discovered and reached out to Paul Smith from Sub C Lead Science Systems in Canada. Smith generously shared his expertise, providing the team with extensive research information and offering invaluable feedback on their innovation project.
"Meeting experts from different parts of the United States and the world helps the team understand how interconnected we are and how important our oceans and waterways are for all of us," notes Salas. This global perspective has proven invaluable for the team, which includes four newcomers, four second-year members and two veteran co-captains.
The Wolf Pack Bots' dual award win recognizes their technical prowess and embodiment of FIRST LEGO League's core values. The Peer Award, voted on by fellow competitors, celebrates their outstanding display of gracious professionalism, while the Engineering Excellence Award acknowledges their innovative robot design and creative problem-solving approaches.
As they prepare for the Regional Championship, the Wolf Pack Bots remain committed to their signature blend of competitive excellence and collaborative spirit, promising to keep having a "howling good time" while pushing the boundaries of youth robotics achievement.
FIRST LEGO League events thrive on community support, with volunteers playing a vital role in their success. From event setup to judging and refereeing, there are numerous ways for community members to .
