POTSDAM -- Clarkson University hosted the Short Circuit Squad, Senior Super Stars, Super Seniors, and 13 other teams as they competed in the sixth annual FIRST Lego League Tournament recently.

Girl Scout Troop 50303 from Massena was awarded the Core Value Award for displaying extraordinary teamwork, strong communication skills and enthusiasm. This team also won the Robot Performance Award for scoring the most points during the competition play.

The Super Senior Stars from Ogdensburg City School District received the Robot Design Award for using solid engineering practice to develop a mechanically sound robot that utilized outstanding programming principles.

The Massena Central Nightingale Elementary School team, “Just Easy,” earned the Project Award for its creative and in-depth solution to the competition problem.

The Christian Fellowship Robo Warriors and the Massena Central Mad-Jeff teams were each recognized with Judges’ Award for their unique efforts.

This year’s theme, “Senior Solutions,” required teams of 9- to 14-year-olds to research a topic of aging and develop a solution that would improve the quality of life for seniors and allow them to continue to be independent, engaged, and connected to their communities.

The E.N.I.A.C. Masterbots, a homeschooled 4-H team, from Plattsburgh, won the Champion Award for best overall performance in the robot game, the project and the teamwork demonstration.

The FLL competition has two parts: a research project and robot game. Students are required to build and program a robot to accomplish a set of tasks or missions as well as research, develop, and share their innovative senior citizen quality of life solutions. Students need to develop a creative presentation to share their solutions. They must design, build, and program a robot with the mechanical capabilities to complete a variety of tasks.

The tournament is hosted by Clarkson University and the Northern New York Robotics Academy, a local higher education consortium, directed by Clarkson Professor James Carroll.

It is sponsored by the “Connect a Million Minds” initiative of Time Warner Cable, St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum, the U.S. Air Force, National Grid, and the New York Power Authority and Clarkson University. Clarkson’s Office of Educational Partnerships and Office of Marketing & External Affairs provided coordination and logistical support for the tournament.

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering.