Young engineers from St. Oliver's Community College and St. Paul's Senior National School, Drogheda were among the heat winners of this year's FIRST® LEGO® League SUBMERGED℠ tournament which took place on Tuesday of this week.   

Heats of the hands-on robotics and problem-solving programme took place throughout Ireland, with teams of children, aged 10 to 16, learning to think creatively, like scientists and engineers.  

Team ‘S.O.S.’ from Scoil Treasa, Firhouse, were the overall winners and they were joined on the winner’s podium by ‘SOCC Robotics’ from St. Oliver's Community College, Drogheda, who won the Robot Game Award, and ‘O.C.E.A.N.’ from Scoil Treasa, Firhouse, who won the Robot Design Award.  

The Innovation Project winners were ‘Project W.A.V.E.’ also from Scoil Treasa, Firhouse, and the Core Values Winners were ‘Hydrobotics’ from St. Paul's Senior National School, Drogheda.   

The fun challenges involve a robot game and a research project, and this year’s theme will see LEGO® technology used to explore the layers of the ocean, bringing fresh ideas to the surface as students ‘sea’ into the future!  

Teams will use technical and collaborative skills to explore life beneath the ocean waves in one of the planet’s most complex ecosystems.  

As the national sponsor of the competition, Joanne Reynolds, Community Engagement Manager, Amazon Ireland, said, “We’re proud to collaborate with FIRST LEGO League to inspire curiosity, teamwork, and a passion for learning that will shape the future of technology and beyond. At Amazon, we believe in fostering innovation, creativity, and problem-solving from a young age.

"Supporting FIRST LEGO League aligns with our commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators. By investing in STEM education and providing opportunities for hands-on learning, we’re helping students develop the skills they need to succeed in an ever-evolving world.”   

At the core of the initiative is a friendly contest, designed to fuel the enthusiasm of the participating students, organisers say. The teams of students and their coaches take on an exciting journey involving research, problem-solving, coding and engineering.   

FIRST® LEGO® League participation is tailored to three age sections, from early years learning to Transition Year students, with robot games and activities suited to each level. 

FIRST is an acronym for ‘For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,’ and FIRST® LEGO® League inspires young people to understand and shape the world they live in, in a more sustainable and inclusive way.  

Irish STEM education experts CreativeHUT organise FIRST® LEGO® League in Ireland, and Chief Impact Officer, Ross Maguire says the fun team-challenge is a platform for students to discover STEM learning.  

“Challenges are thoughtfully designed to promote collaboration, critical thinking, and experiential learning. Along with mastering coding and engineering, and scientific thinking, students acquire critical life skills like tenacity, teamwork, and communication”.  

FIRST LEGO League Ireland is proudly supported by the Research Ireland Discover Programme and delivered by CreativeHUT Ireland. The programme also benefits from national sponsorship by Amazon.  To learn more about how Amazon supports communities across Ireland, visit: https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/aws-incommunities/  

Visit fll.ie to discover more about the range of programmes and how to get involved.