Sunday, November 28, 2010

Inventioneers Offer New Patent Scholarship for FLL Team

Great new opportunity for NH FLL teams!
Click the image below to learn more.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Tips for State Tournaments from the Inventioneers

Many teams have just completed their local qualifying tournaments - congratulations to all! Now it's time to get ready for the state tournament. In most states, the time is short between qualifiers and championship tournaments - and there's Thanksgiving in there, too. It is important to take some time to relax after the high energy of a tournament, but there are a lot of things you can do to improve your team's performance at the next level. Here are some topics we'd like to cover over the next week or so.

1. robot performance consistency
2. teamwork activity tips
3. 3 important things to cover in research judging
4. 3 important things to cover in technical judging

Let us know if you want more information in these areas by voting in our poll in the right hand column!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

More Tournament Tips from the Inventioneers

Hi everyone,

Many teams are down to the wire now with qualifiers on Saturday. Here are some last minute pointers for rookies (and others!):

For teamwork judging - have fun, encourage each other, make sure everyone gets a chance to share their ideas either before you start the activity or while you are completing the task. If the teamwork activity is fun - laugh, be yourselves. Make sure the judges know some of the ways you worked on teamwork over the season. Think of the teamwork challenges your team faced early in the season, then remember how you built your team spirit. Bring your funny hats, smile.

For the competition table - don't bring your funny hat if you are going to be a human player unless it stays on really well and won't get in your way. Take off any extra buttons or beads you've collected. You don't want anything to hang over the table or to interfere with mission models or your robot's run. If you are not running the robot, cheer both teams on - remember, the other team is not your opponent. They are kids just like you, trying their hardest just like you are.

For technical judging - show off your robot with pride - you are the experts on your design. Choose the mission you want to demonstrate before you get to the judging session. Your team members should point out favorite features to the judges, talk about how you improved on your ideas over the season. Smile, even if your robot doesn't have its best run, don't be upset, just focus on the positive.

For research judging - try to memorize your presentation lines - it can be a lot of work but it lets you make eye contact with the judges during the session. If you don't have time to completely memorize, look up at the judges at least once during your part, it will help them feel drawn into your presentation. In the Q and A, tell the judges about the most interesting parts of your project, for example, your experts, why you picked your topic, and if you have them, tell the judges about the next steps you have planned for your solution, etc. Listen carefully to their questions and make sure you answer the question asked. Don't forget to have your resource list in hand to show the judges all the materials, websites, and experts you used to complete your amazing project. Be enthusiastic, passionate and confident - remember, you are the experts on your project

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Inventioneers' Latest Newsletter for Rookie Teams Now Available!

We just sent out our Tournament Newsletter to 200 rookie teams in our database! We've heard back such great feedback that we want to make the insider tournament tips available to rookie teams everywhere! We tell rookie teams that the main difference between rookies and veterans is that veterans know the inside scoop on tournaments.

If you are a rookie team, you are the expert on your research project, your robot, and how you developed your teamwork skills. What you are not an expert at is the tournament experience, especially judging sessions. That's where our newsletter comes in.

We've had such a great season mentoring rookie teams (we've helped about 30 teams so far!). We just heard from one team this morning that they took first place in research yesterday and will be going on to the state tournament! They found the Tournament Newsletter invaluable.

How about you? If you would like a copy of our newsletter, email us at TheInventioneers@yahoo.com and we'll be happy to send you a copy ASAP!

Go FLL!
The Inventioneers

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Inventioneers Named Top Youth Volunteers in NH

The Inventioneers Named Top Youth Volunteer Group in NH

On November 9, 2010, the Inventioneers were awarded the Spirit of NH Award presented by Volunteer NH and the Office of the Governor. During the ceremony, which was hosted by Tiffany Eddy, WMUR news anchor and co-host of NH Chronicle, the Inventioneers were awarded the top prize in the youth category. Check out the story by clicking the image below.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

NH LEGO Team, the Inventioneers, Finalists for Spirit of NH Award


We have been named as finalists for our volunteer efforts to get as many students interested in science and engineering as we can!