Gemini school robotics team wins in ‘FIRST’ competition – Chicago Tribune

East Maine School District 63 is celebrating unexpected wins by the school district's junior high school robotics team, which amassed several awards and a berth to a state competition in the last two months.

A team of nine seventh and eighth graders at Gemini Junior High School competed Dec. 10 for the first time in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League Competition, school officials said in a news release.

As part of the competition, they programmed a robot to complete 13 "missions," according to the news release.

It was supposed to be a chance for the students to gain experience with the competition and be more ready for it the following year, officials said.

But the students went on to win several accolades at the first competition and a chance to compete in the state competitions that was held Jan. 28 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, according to the news release.

The Gemini school team called the Gembots -- included Christopher Alexander, Ronnette Bressler, Bushido Ellis, Sarah Hussein, Prapti Patel, Neelesh Patel, Hadi Rihawi, Halle Santiago and Hannah Suboni-Kaufman. They competed against 34 other teams at the December event and won the Rookie of the Year award and placed third overall then, school officials announced.

At the January competition, they competed against 63 other teams. They didn't place, but school officials are relishing the Gembots' efforts.

"These students are a powerhouse of intelligence and design creativity," said Kathryn Sjoholm, an eighth grade science teacher who also served as one of three advisors to the team. "Our future is bright because of these young minds."

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Gemini school robotics team wins in 'FIRST' competition - Chicago Tribune