It's on to nationals for Twin Branch LEGO robotics team after third place finish at state meet

Greg Swiercz, South Bend Tribune
·1 min read
Twin Branch LEGO robotics team member Keeley Penrod, far left, discuses the team’s programs as others look on. The schools’ team members demonstrated their programs Monday, March 4, 2024, before the Mishawaka Common Council.
Twin Branch LEGO robotics team member Keeley Penrod, far left, discuses the team’s programs as others look on. The schools’ team members demonstrated their programs Monday, March 4, 2024, before the Mishawaka Common Council.

MISHAWAKA — Combining technology, engineering and science with LEGOs has the Twin Branch Elementary School LEGO robotics team heading to the East Coast this May in a national robotics competition.

The nine-member "Sunny Delights" LEGO robotics team led by Lauren Kraus-Gaskill is made up of 6th- and 7th-graders from Twin Branch Elementary and John Young Junior High School. The team took third place in the state competition in January, which allowed the team to advance to the American Robotics Invitational on May 18 and 19 in East Rutherford, N.J.

The group on Monday, March 4 demonstrated their programs before the Mishawaka Common Council.

Twin Branch LEGO robotics team member Elsie Gaskill sets up the robotics board for a demonstration. The schools’ team members demonstrated their programs Monday, March 4, 2024, before the Mishawaka Common Council.
Twin Branch LEGO robotics team member Elsie Gaskill sets up the robotics board for a demonstration. The schools’ team members demonstrated their programs Monday, March 4, 2024, before the Mishawaka Common Council.

While the group demonstrated their robots and the tasks the robots need to accomplish during competition, the group also explained the other portion of the competition where the group lays out a problem and uses technology, science and other STEM means to offer a solution.

The group has studied the need for native flora in the Mishawaka community and has devised an educational program to educate and inform people about plants native to the area.

The group also constructed a prototype concrete sidewalk tile that explains a native plant, defines it and shows an imprint of its appearance.

A concrete sidewalk tile showing the native plant goldenrod sits at Mishawaka City Hall. Twin Branch LEGO robotics team members demonstrated their programs Monday, March 4, 2024, before the Mishawaka Common Council.
A concrete sidewalk tile showing the native plant goldenrod sits at Mishawaka City Hall. Twin Branch LEGO robotics team members demonstrated their programs Monday, March 4, 2024, before the Mishawaka Common Council.

Members of the group have suggested the sidewalk tile program with other native plant explainers to be made and installed in some of Mishawaka's parks.

The LEGO robotics group is raising money to help pay for the trip in May through a GoFundMe campaign.

Email Tribune staff writer Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Twin Branch LEGO robotics team advances to national meet in May